Through StormCloud Eyes
by JG Chan
Summary: Sequel to 'Hearts of Darkness.' ChibiUsa has arrived in the 20th century, and three members of the Black Moon clan are hot on her trail. Now Sailor Moon must fight to protect her future from the driven yet conflicted Prince of the Black Moon...
1. Ch1: Approaching Darkness

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :) 

AN: Hey everyone, I'm back! A bit later than I expected, but there was some stuff I had to deal with at home, so... Anyway, this series follows my earlier story "Hearts of Darkness". I'd advise you to read that one first, as they include some significant changes I made to the standard BSSM storyline. This one deals with the Black Moon arc, with twists, of course. Also, I suck at summaries. And now...on to the story, and hope you enjoy!

Notations

"..." indicates speech

'...' indicates thought

_Italics_ indicate flashbacks/visions/etc

* * *

**Through Storm-Cloud Eyes**

Part 1: Approaching Darkness

by JG Chan

_A rumble of thunder._

_Like the growling of a gargantuan beast, it rolled forth from the endless sea of black clouds. Below, nervous forms shifted, wary eyes peering upwards at the unmoving canopy above, through the bare shimmer that is their only defense. To them the thunder is the herald of the ever-threatening darkness, a promise that its jagged companion shall find its mark and consume them in the flames of vengeance._

_A flash of lightning._

_The eerie glow suffused the cloudbanks, briefly illuminating the shape within it. Its crystalline walls stood dull against the gloomy backdrop, cold and immoveable like a giant of ice. Beneath the floating fortress lay nothing but desolate, blasted waste, the beauty of the city lost to all but the people's memories._

_A gust of wind._

_It howled its way among the towers crowning the dark citadel. Through a window set high atop one of them, storm-cloud eyes gazed down on the gleaming palace below. Like the clashing lightning outside, two burning desires lit these dark orbs, battling each other for dominance in their owner's mind._

_One was the need for revenge, a deep, cold hatred for those who have wronged him, athirst for destruction. The other was a desperate passion, flaring bright and wild, unwavering before the myriad obstacles set against it._

_A soundless step._

_Eyes of darkest blue met those of clouded azure, hardening in sudden alertness, then softening once more. The newcomer's gaze was deeply respectful, yet at the same time inquiring and slightly concerned. No words were needed as the two stared at each other, their eyes and expressions conveying their thoughts as only siblings could. The storm-cloud eyes watched the other nod and exit the room, the door closing quietly. Then, they returned once more to their silent contemplation of the crystal palace, inside which slept the object of both his greatest desires._

_He shall have her, no matter the cost..._

* * *

It was mid-afternoon, and despite it being a school day, there was a fair-sized crowd in the amusement park nestled among the Tokyo skyscrapers. The sun was bright and hot in the clear summer sky, yet there was enough of a breeze to keep the heat from becoming stifling. All in all, it was a beautiful day to be outside...unless you happened to be Chiba Mamoru. 

"Will you stop bothering Mamo-chan, you little brat?"

"I'm not bothering him! He's perfectly fine like this, right, Mamo-chan?"

"Umm..."

"No he's not! And who invited you, anyway?"

"Well it's his birthday, of course he's going to spend it with me, baka-Usagi!"

"Who says? **I'm** the one who bought our tickets, and **I** say you can't come along."

"Hmmpf, I don't have to list..."

"QUIET!"

Usagi and ChibiUsa both cringed at the abrupt command and fell silent, though neither relinquished her grip on the arm they had taken over. Then, as one, they looked up tentatively at Mamoru's face. The young man sighed in resignation.

"Look," he used his most reasonable tone, "it's a great day, we're here already, so why don't we just all go together and have fun? It's better than standing around fighting, isn't it?"

"But Mamo-chaaaaan!" Usagi whined. "This was supposed to be a romantic date for just the two of us! I've been looking forward to it all week-end..."

"I know, Usako, I'm sorry," Mamoru apologized. "But please? For me?" He smiled pleadingly at her, and was relieved when he saw her blush slightly and lower her gaze. It wasn't often that he did things that way, but it worked, at least.

"Well, if you put it that way..." Usagi conceded shyly, pulling his arm a little closer. ChibiUsa smirked victoriously, but stopped when Mamoru gave her a serious glance. She contented herself with holding his hand as the three of them headed for the entrance to the amusement park.

An hour later, the three of them sat on a bench near a large fountain, enjoying a round of ice creams. Mamoru smiled; despite the occasional headache from keeping the peace between his girlfriend and her unwanted houseguest, he had to admit that today had been great. Watching Usagi having fun was one of the most heartwarming and relaxing things he could think of, though he couldn't tell whether it was a natural quality of hers, or if he was just biased. Either way, he had needed the break, and was happy that she had done this for him.

ChibiUsa, on the other hand, didn't seem to be enjoying herself as much as he would've expected, and that puzzled him a little. Most of the time she seemed to be happy poking fun at Usagi, but as they neared some of the rides she would hang back even as the blonde cheerfully jumped in line. Try though Mamoru did, he couldn't figure out why she was acting like that.

And then there were the visions...two strange, inexplicable glimpses of a crystal city. He'd seen both of them while in contact with ChibiUsa, so a connection seemed certain. But what did they mean? That was the other, more worrisome mystery, and he had no clue about that one either.

"Mmmm..." Usagi hummed blissfully, interrupting his musings. "This ice cream is soooo good! Maybe I should have another one..."

"It'll be suppertime soon, Usako," Mamoru reminded her.

"Oh, I know...but maybe one more wouldn't hurt..."

"You'll just get fat," ChibiUsa predicted.

"Oh quiet." Usagi replied with a dismissive wave. "It's a wonderful day, and I'm gonna enjoy it as much as I can." So saying, she glomped tighter onto Mamoru's arm.

The little girl glowered, but surprisingly didn't say anything. Curious, Mamoru kept a discreet eye on the child as he finished his own treat, still trying to understand her unusual mood. Then he saw her staring after a mother and daughter walking past the fountain.

"ChibiUsa, how's your family like?" he asked. ChibiUsa looked up at him sharply, then lowered her eyes. For a moment he thought she would ignore him, but then she responded quietly, still looking away.

"Papa's...very nice, and cool, and he always smiles at me. And Mama..." Her tone grew softer, almost reverential, and Usagi paused to listen as well. "Mama's the greatest person in the world! She's beautiful, and ladylike, and she's kind to everyone, and everyone loves her. I want to be just like her when I grow up."

"...You must miss her a lot," Usagi said after a long moment. There was an odd note in her voice; Mamoru was sure he had heard it before, but couldn't recall exactly when.

"Yeah..." ChibiUsa began, but her expression suddenly became guarded again as she noticed whom she was speaking to. "I mean, I'm fine, I'm not lonely or anything," she added a bit unconvincingly.

"ChibiUsa, if you'll just tell us what you're doing, maybe we can help..."

"Oh stop it!" the little girl snapped irritably, turning away from Usagi. "Don't act like you're my mother or something. Not like you can compare to her in any way, though."

"S-so what?" Usagi protested indignantly. "I'm...I'm still young, that's all!"

ChibiUsa gave the scowling blonde an appraising look. "Nah, it's hopeless," she stated. "You're way too immature, Usagi. You aren't going to come close to Mama no matter how long you try."

"Why you..." Usagi glowered at ChibiUsa, then her eyes landed on Mamoru with a calculating gleam. His heart skipped a beat.

'She's not going to...is she?' he wondered, his throat suddenly dry.

"Alright, you spore, I'll show you just how mature I can be," Usagi declared, rising up from her seat towards Mamoru's face. ChibiUsa's eyes widened as it hit her as well.

'Wait, she can't mean...' she thought incredulously, as Usagi puckered up and leaned in towards her frozen boyfriend. Her lips came up within an inch of his, and then...

"OH NO YOU DON'T!"

...Usagi found herself on the ground, a pair of hands clamped over her mouth. She pushed them off and sat up.

"What's the big idea, ChibiUsa? I can ki..." she broke off in mid-tirade, and blinked. That wasn't ChibiUsa sitting on top of her. "Rei-chan, what are **you** doing here?"

"Umm..."

"You weren't following us, were you?" Usagi demanded suspiciously as she got back on her feet.

"O-of course not!" Rei denied the accusation. "As if I would do something so sneaky. It's just a coincidence, that's all."

"Then why is everyone else here?" Usagi retorted, pointing at the other three girls who had just emerged from the shrubs behind the bench, varying levels of guilt on their faces. Rei sweatdropped.

"Ah, well...it doesn't matter why we're here! You can't just go and kiss Mamoru-san like that!"

"What? Why is that any of your..."

And Usagi was interrupted once more, as both she and Rei fell unceremoniously into the fountain, courtesy of a cackling Minako. Inevitably,  
chaos ensued, and the rest of their friends could only watch in disbelief as the two drenched girls chased the laughing blonde around the fountain.

"...Do I even want to know?" Mamoru asked.

"Minako-chan's been downing milkshakes since we started following you guys," Makoto explained sheepishly.

"Oh." He turned to Ami. "I can't believe you're part of this too, Ami-chan."

"Well, experience is the only source of knowledge," the blue-haired girl replied, smiling brightly.

Mamoru sighed, as Usagi raced past them once more. There goes the afternoon...

* * *

FRIDAY 

Above the city of Tokyo, a strange flying vessel appeared, hovering steadily among the clouds. It was enormous, yet none below could see it through the powerful cloaking field it generated. Inside, three figures were gathered in a room lined with mirrors. With a gesture from one of them, images of the city below appeared in the mirrors.

"So...this is the Tokyo of the past..." The red-haired man said. "Hmmpf! Let's just do our jobs and get out of this place."

"Testy, aren't we?" The pale woman with short black hair replied slyly. "Maybe you should just stay up here and watch, if our Prince's mission is so distasteful to you."

"And give you an excuse to rat me out, Oniko?" The man retorted. "Ha! You may be the Wiseman's favourite dog, but don't count on everything going your way here. **I'll **be the one to find the Rabbit."

"We'll see, Rubeus." The woman then turned cool eyes on their so far silent companion, a young girl with long golden hair tied in twin tresses with two red ribbons. "And you, little girl, should make sure to do as you were told. Or we all know what'll happen, hmm?"

The girl scowled at the woman, then looked away without replying. Oniko smiled smugly, then turned back to the mirrors. "Alright then...let the hunt begin."

* * *

"Mako-chan, this grilled fish is wonderful!" Ami's mother said. She winked at the blushing brunette. "I'm glad I let you cook tonight." 

"It's really nothing, Mizuno-sensei," Makoto demurred. "You were kind enough to invite me to stay, so it's the least I can do."

"Oh, please don't think of it that way. I should be the one thanking you girls; I know Ami-chan's been so much happier since she met all of you."

"Okaa-san..." Ami protested, mildly embarrassed. Makoto smiled at this rare glimpse of her friend's relationship with her mother, and kept on eating quietly.

"By the way, Ami-chan," Mizuno-sensei said between bites. "Weren't your other friends coming over to study too?"

"They were, but some things came up," Ami explained. "Rei-chan had some pressing work at the shrine, Minako-chan's volleyball practice was moved up to today, and Usagi-chan had to take care of her cousin while her family's out."

"Oh, that's too bad. I was hoping to give you the news with everyone present, so we can all celebrate."

Ami quirked an eyebrow. "News?"

Her mother nodded. "Remember that school in Germany we talked about before? I just received a letter from them saying there's a spot open for you in their exchange program this year." She smiled broadly. "Their program is very highly regarded when it comes to entering medical school, so this a wonderful chance, isn't it?"

Makoto stopped in mid-swallow, turning questioning eyes at Ami. The blue-haired girl herself seemed a bit taken aback by the sudden news.

"That's...great news, Okaa-san," she said uncertainly. "Umm, when does the program start?"

"Well, the courses themselves don't start until next month, but they need your reply within ten days at the latest. I have the paperwork in my bag, we can look it over later tonight."

Ami nodded, her expression neutral. Both her mother and Makoto, however, could see the indecision in her eyes, and the reasons behind it. The older blue-haired woman reached out and placed her hand over her daughter's.

"Ami-chan," she said gently. "I know this isn't going to be an easy decision...but it's yours nonetheless. I do think this will help you in the future, but if you would rather not go, I'll understand. Just promise me you'll think it through clearly before deciding, okay?"

Ami smiled. "I will, Okaa-san," she replied.

"Good." Mizuno-sensei rose from her seat. "Now, I'll see to the dishes. Thank you for a wonderful meal, Mako-chan."

Makoto mumbled her reply as the doctor left for the kitchen with the empty trays. Under normal circumstances she would have offered to help, but right now her mind was occupied with other things.

"Ami-chan?" she asked quietly. The blue-haired girl looked up. "What are you going to do?"

"I...don't really know."

"Well, I think you should go for it."

Ami blinked. "But what about our duties as Sailor Senshi?"

"Your dreams are more important, Ami-chan," Makoto said firmly. "You want to become a doctor, right? Then you should go for it all the way. Besides, this looks like a really rare chance, and none of us would want to hold you back."

"Mako-chan..."

The brunette gave her a bright smile; then, seeing the time on the wall clock, announced that she had to get home. Ami walked her to the door, returning Makoto's wave goodbye as her friend turned the corner. She remained silently at the door for a while longer, lost in thought, until her mother called her back inside.

* * *

SUNDAY 

"So you're sure there's some connection between ChibiUsa-chan and these visions of yours?" Rei asked intently.

Mamoru nodded. "I am. There's no other explanation for them, but...this latest one..." He fell silent, his eyes troubled. Jadeite and Athan looked on silently, sharing similar expressions.

The four of them were gathered in the library of the mansion formerly owned by Nephrite, under his alias of Sanjouin Masato. Shortly after their return from the battle with Adamantite, Athan had taken over the mansion under his own alternate identity, and he and Jadeite had been living there since. It had partly been an arrangement of convenience, but the mansion also held a store of magical ingredients and a library with works dating back to the Silver Millenium. Ami, Rei, and Mamoru had been especially interested in the latter, and occasionally visited to study some of those books. Luna had seemed interested as well, but her hostility towards Athan had so far kept her away.

"Is there some way we can see the visions as well?" Athan suggested.

Mamoru frowned. "I'm not sure...I don't have control over my own telepathy powers yet. I could try to draw it...or one of you might know another way."

"I've tried using the fire to find out about ChibiUsa-chan," Rei told them. "But so far it hasn't shown me anything."

"Why don't we just get the answer out of the kid?" Jadeite asked irritably. "It'd be quicker than us running around chasing images of crystal cities."

"She doesn't trust us, Jadeite," Mamoru replied. "Usako and I've both tried getting her to open up, but all she does is demand we give her the Silver Crystal."

"Then stop being so nice and threaten her or something!" Rei and Mamoru gave the blond man withering glares. "What?" he protested indignantly. "The kid's doing it to you, so why not?"

"Remind me never to let you take care of children," Rei muttered.

"Perhaps we can narrow things down if we can identify that crystal city," Athan said before Jadeite could reply. "Though we're pretty sure nothing like that exists on Earth, right?" Mamoru nodded. "Which means it's either from a different star system or a different time."

"I like how you define 'narrowing down'," Jadeite said sarcastically.

"But Serenity was in the last vision, right?" Rei recalled. "Then that means it can't be a different system..."

"...and we already know what happened in the past," Mamoru continued. "Which leaves us with the future."

The four of them lapsed into silence. Mamoru leaned back in his seat, staring up at the blank ceiling. He had been feeling a growing sense of unease ever since his first vision, when he had taken ChibiUsa's hand after comforting her at the park. Their conclusion that the visions were about the future did little to reassure him. Were they a warning of coming disaster? Was it something he could prevent, or would it happen regardless of what he did? And...what would happen to Usagi, if his visions came to pass? That last question gnawed at him insistently, demanding that he do something...but what that was, he had no clue.

The old grandfather clock in the hall rang out then, announcing that three o'clock had come. Rei stood up and gathered her things, saying she was supposed to meet the girls soon. She turned to Mamoru.

"Did you want to tell her about this?" she asked him. He thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"She won't be happy if she finds out, Mamoru," Athan warned.

"I know," Mamoru replied. "But I want to have more information first. Telling her so soon would just make her worry."

The others looked at each other, but did not object. Athan left with Rei so that he could drive her back to the shrine, leaving Jadeite and Mamoru alone in the mansion.

"...So, now what?" the blond asked his prince.

"We can start here, I guess," the dark-haired man replied, looking around the library. "Let's go through this place and see whether there's some spell we can use to find out about my visions."

"Right," Jadeite agreed. The two of them fell to work, and silence fell once more over the mansion.

* * *

"Usagi-chan? What's up?" 

The distracted blonde turned away from the window to see Motoki standing by the table, clad in apron and wash-rag, as usual. The Crown Fruit Parlour was slowly winding down as suppertime approached, freeing Motoki do his cleaning.

"Oh, hi, Motoki-oniichan," Usagi said with a slightly sheepish smile. "Sorry, I didn't see you coming."

"That's alright," he replied, sitting down across from her. "So, what's up? I don't see you here alone too often."

"Ah...I was just thinking about stuff, that's all," Usagi said dismissively. Her expression became thoughtful all of a sudden. "Umm, do you have a minute, Motoki-oniichan?"

"Sure," Motoki replied, curious. "Why?"

"Well...I was wondering if...I could ask you a kinda personal question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"How did you feel when Reika-san went to Africa?"

Motoki blinked, wondering why Usagi would ask such a thing. The blonde's expression was serious, however, so he decided to just answer, and leave his own questions for later.

"Well...I really didn't want her to go, at first," he reminisced. "Two years is a pretty long time...and I was worried that maybe we'd grow apart during that time, or something like that." He looked at Usagi. "But the thing is, I realized that Reika was having an even harder time with it than I was. She loved her research a lot, but she didn't want to hurt me either...So in the end I decided that I would support her as much as I can. I thought that, if I could help her even a little to reach her dream, I'd be happy..."

"...Are you?" Usagi asked in a small voice.

"...I think so," Motoki answered with a rueful smile. "I mean, I did miss her a lot after she left, but after we started writing to each other, and I saw how excited she was about her work, I felt a lot better." He gave her a questioning glance. "But enough about that. Why are you asking this all of a sudden, Usagi-chan?"

"Well, Ami-chan told us today that she might be going to study in Germany. Everyone else was happy for her and congratulating her, so I did too, but...I was really sad. I guess I'm being selfish."

"It's only natural to feel that way, Usagi-chan," Motoki said comfortingly. "I'm sure your friends all felt the same inside, and I think Ami-chan knows that."

"Yeah..." Usagi agreed, then sat up and smiled at Motoki. "But I think I've figured it out now. I'll call Ami-chan tonight." She got up, once more seeming full of energy. "Thanks, Motoki-oniichan."

"No problem," the young man replied. He waved as the blonde girl exited the parlour, then went back to work with a smile. All in all, today was a good day.

* * *

Night fell, and the midsummer heat died down to bearable levels as the moon rose to its zenith. In the quiet darkness of Azabu district, a black-clad figure dropped out of nowhere onto the roof of a small grocery store. As it walked to the edge, the dim light of a nearby sign illuminated two streams of golden hair and an inverted black crescent on its forehead. The figure scanned about slowly and, seeing no one, stepped off the roof and landed in front of the service entrance. With a casual swipe of its hand, the door lock was broken, and it entered the rear of the store. 

The place was pitch black, but the figure moved as if it was clearly lit, weaving past boxes and shelves. As it reached the corner of the room, it pulled out what looked like a long black crystal spike. A faint purple glow was visible along its length. The figure placed the sharp tip against the floor and pushed down, watching the crystal sink slowly but easily into the ground. Once only the very top was left, the figure moved some boxes in front of it and headed for the exit, pulling the door closed behind it.

Once outside, the figure jumped back onto the roof, and from there to a taller building nearby. Looking back down at the grocery store, it could see the slight deepening of darkness around the building, a sign that its mission had been successful. It sighed, then turned and looked up at the moon, a forlorn expression on its face.

"Anshar..." it whispered, the soft, feminine voice filled with regret. Then it jumped into the air and vanished.

* * *

TUESDAY 

Mamoru lightly traced the design on the sheet in his hand, following the circular patterns with his fingertip. It struck him suddenly how strange this situation was: here he was, a college student in the 20th century, holding a crackled, yellowed page describing a twelve-thousand-year-old magical spell and contemplating whether to use it. A whimsical smile briefly tugged at his lips before he turned back to Athan and Jadeite, assuming a more serious expression.

"How likely is this spell going to work?" he asked.

"That's not the problem," Athan replied. "All the spell does is put you in a trance in a specific way, such that you can make contact with the entity of your choice. **That** part will work perfectly. The problem lies in what you find at the end, and whether you can return."

"You mean it might be dangerous?"

"It might," Zoisite confirmed, his voice mentally reaching his Prince from where his Guardian stone lay on the table. "If whatever you find using this spell is or becomes hostile, then you're the one who'll have to protect yourself." Mamoru frowned, and repeated the words to the two older men.

"It's a lot like how Rei uses the fire, actually," Jadeite added. "The only real difference is what the spell can potentially reach. This one used to be used to commune with planetary deities." He frowned. "But Earth doesn't have one, does it?"

"I wouldn't say that for sure," Mamoru replied thoughtfully. "I have...this feeling that something **is** watching over this planet. I can't explain why, but it's there."

The others looked at each other.

"There were some debates about that," Athan recalled. "Nobody ever came to a conclusion, as far as I knew."

"So, are you going to try it?" Jadeite asked Mamoru.

The younger man simply nodded. As his two companions began drawing up lists of components and such, he sat down and stared at the spell sheet once more. If this worked, he might be able to solve the mystery of his visions...and then he could do whatever was necessary to protect his future with Usagi. With that thought in mind, he placed the sheet back on the table and joined the other two in beginning preparations.

* * *

"Usagi-chan!" Naru called out, waving at her friend who had just come up to the roof. The blonde waved back and ran over, sitting down next to Naru against the grill fence. 

"Isn't Ami-chan coming up too?" the redhead asked, opening her bentou.

Usagi giggled. "I was about to ask her, but she was talking with Ryo-kun, so I left them alone."

"Aww...Ami-chan is so lucky. I wish Umino would be a little more like Ryo-kun. You don't have to be weird to be smart."

"I dunno, Naru-chan, I can't picture Umino **not** being weird." As if to illustrate her point, Usagi concentrated hard and tried to do just that. All she got, though, was an image of Tuxedo Umino Kamen, which made her cringe a little.

"Hey, there's Enzu-san," Naru said. Usagi looked up and saw the new transfer student coming out of the stairwell. She was slightly taller than Usagi and appeared a bit older, with purple eyes and long blonde hair in a style very much like Usagi's, except without the odangos. She glanced briefly in their direction before moving to another part of the roof. Thinking for a moment, Usagi got up and went over to her.

"Hiya!" she said brightly. "Umm, Nana-chan, was it?"

"Yes, Tsukino-san," the purple-eyed girl replied neutrally, not looking up.

"Oh, Usagi-chan is fine," Usagi answered, plopping down next to Nana. The other girl gave her a startled look, then turned back to her food.

"So, how do you like it here so far?" Usagi went on, still smiling.

"...It's okay," Nana replied, shrugging. "I probably won't be here long, anyway."

"Oh..." Usagi looked down at her own bentou. "You said your family travelled a lot, didn't you?" she said in a more subdued tone. "It must be hard to move around so much, and not be able to spend time with your friends..."

"Why do you care so much, anyway?" Nana grumbled, a little irritated at the talkative girl.

Usagi gave her a hurt look. "I just thought you might have been lonely, that's all." She looked down again. "One of my best friends is going to be leaving tomorrow to study abroad...so I've been thinking a lot about what it'd be like, to be alone in a new place. Isn't it lonely not to have your friends with you? Even if you don't see each other a lot, just knowing that they're near feels better, doesn't it?"

Nana looked at the other blonde uncertainly, her impatient retort bitten back as she saw Usagi's sincerity. Somehow or other, this girl who falls asleep in class had hit right at the heart of what had been bothering her. She felt a slight flush of shame come over her then.

"I'm...sorry, for snapping at you," she apologized. "I jumped to the wrong conclusions."

Usagi shook her head, smiling again. "It's okay. Friends?"

Nana returned the smile with a shy one of her own. "...Yeah, sure. I could use a friend."

Usagi grinned, then began demolishing her lunch with her usual gusto. Nana watched her with an amused smile, eating her own lunch at a more normal pace. Eventually, the break ended, and the girls headed back down to their classroom, not seeing the swirl of shadow in the air above the school. As the darkness faded, Oniko appeared, her cloak drawn about her and her eyes glowering at the closed stairwell door.

"Just what are you up to, little girl?"

* * *

WEDNESDAY 

ChibiUsa looked around Usagi's room with a feeling of discouragement. It had been close to two weeks since she had come to the past, and she still hadn't found the Silver Crystal. She was sure Usagi had it, but after poking around the house, ransacking her room repeatedly, and demanding it outright from the blonde, she was no closer to her goal. It almost seemed like Usagi's laziness was working against her, too; the constant but ever-shifting mess made it hard to tell whether she had really searched everywhere.

The small pink-haired girl sat down and rested her head on the low table. She didn't like this at all. She didn't like to be alone, and she didn't want to be away from her Mama and Papa. She didn't even like to be so mean to Usagi, even though the blonde's unabashedly childish behaviour annoyed her to no end; her Mama was never mean to people, after all.

Looking up, ChibiUsa caught sight of the picture hanging on the wall, showing Usagi and her family...and herself, courtesy of Luna-P. 'But...it's not real...' she thought, on the verge of tears. 'They aren't my family...Mama...' She shook her head. 'No! I can't cry...I have to be strong...Mama was always strong and graceful...I have to save Mama...because...'

"ChibiUsa! Come on, we have to hurry, Ami-chan'll be leaving soon!"

ChibiUsa started, then took a steadying breath and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. 'I'll make Mama proud,' she said to herself. With Luna-P floating along behind her, she left the room and headed for the stairs.

Usagi was standing near the door in a short-sleeved pink blouse and blue skirt. She gave her 'cousin' a slightly suspicious look as the little girl reached the bottom of the stairs.

"You weren't going through my things again, were you?" she asked.

"Hmmpf. It's not like it's any messier than it was anyway," ChibiUsa replied disdainfully, sitting down to put on her shoes. "And didn't Ami-chan say she didn't want everyone seeing her off?"

"Yes she did, but we're going anyway, so hurry up."

"We wouldn't have to hurry if you hadn't had detention again," the pink-haired girl pointed out. Usagi scowled and stuck her tongue out at her, even as she opened the door. ChibiUsa followed her out, and the two went on their way.

* * *

Minako watched another bus pass by them. "Darn, we're gonna be late if she doesn't show up soon," she said. 

"It shouldn't be too long," Makoto replied. "Detention ended a little while ago, so she should be on her way."

Rei didn't say anything. The three of them were waiting at the bus stop for Usagi and ChibiUsa, so that they could all go see Ami off at the airport. Usagi being late certainly wasn't new, but there was something else bothering the young miko. Her spirit sense had been acting up lately, even though the fire had so far been silent. Coupled with Mamoru's strange visions,  
it had her worried enough that she'd started looking out for anything out of the ordinary. That was when she caught sight of the flashing pillar of light in the distance, even as her spirit sense roared up in her mind.

"What the...what was that?" Makoto exclaimed, as the light flickered and winked out.

"Something evil..." Rei gasped out, reeling a bit from the mental jolt. "We have to check it out!"

"But what about Ami-chan?" Minako objected, holding up the bag with their gift in it. "Maybe we should call her..."

"We can't," Makoto said firmly. "This is for her dream, isn't it? We can't hold her back from it."

"I'll take care of that," a deep voice said from behind her.

The girls turned around and saw Athan standing there, his car still running. The three of them exchanged glances, then nodded. Minako handed the bag to the dark-haired man. "Thanks."

"No problem. Good luck."

Athan got back into his car and sped off towards the airport. Even before he had disappeared from sight, the three girls were running towards where they had seen the light, hands reaching into pockets for their wands. Rei brought up the rear, a worried look on her face. 'Please let this not be as bad as I feel it is...' she prayed.

* * *

Sailor Moon held ChibiUsa tightly as another blast of energy hit her in the back, making her stumble several steps. Gritting her teeth, she turned her head to glare defiantly at the red-haired man floating behind her, who responded with a smirk. 

"You're pretty resilient, for a flimsy little girl," he said. "But you're not going to get in my way. Give me the Rabbit, and I might let you live."

"Why are you after her, you creep?" Sailor Moon demanded, ignoring his offer.

Rubeus responded with another energy cluster, which Sailor Moon barely dodged. "You're in no position to be asking questions. Give her to me or die!"

Another blast hit her, and she fell to one knee with a strangled cry. Still held firmly in her arms, ChibiUsa gasped at the expression of pain on the blonde's face. However, the little girl was much too terrified to say anything.

Earlier, as they were running to meet the girls, Usagi had tripped and landed flat on her face, as she occasionally did. ChibiUsa had gone on, looking back and giggling, and thus had not seen the truck coming until she had run out in front of it. With a loud honk and a screech of tires, the driver had swerved and narrowly missed her. In her fright, a crescent moon had appeared on her forehead and shot its moonbeam into the sky.

ChibiUsa had fallen back on the sidewalk, trying to make her heart stop pounding, when the man had appeared. He had short crimson hair and wore a brown vest and camouflage pants, and his eyes had a cruel gleam to them. However, it had been the downturned black crescent on his forehead that had drawn ChibiUsa's attention; she had seen that symbol once before, when her home had been attacked.

Petrified with fear, the little girl had remained where she was, not hearing a word Rubeus had said, and not able to move when the man had floated down towards her, intending to grab her. But before he could do so, she had felt herself lifted up and carried swiftly away. Snapping out of her daze, she had looked up to see Sailor Moon holding her protectively, even as Rubeus had started shooting energy blasts at them.

And now, the red-haired man had finally caught up with them, and was about to launch another attack. Sailor Moon braced herself and shifted to better shield ChibiUsa...but that proved to be unnecessary.

"BURNING MANDALA!"

The rings of fire impacted against Rubeus' back, drawing a grunt from him and interrupting his attack. Spinning around, he saw Mars, Jupiter, and Venus arrayed against him, ready to attack.

"I don't know who you are, jerk," Jupiter stated, "but you won't get away with hurting our friend!"

"Tch, you're wasting my time," Rubeus spat. "Nipasu, Jamanen!"

At his command, a pair of droids appeared, one dressed in an ice-blue kimono, the other seemingly made of red slime. They faced off against the three newly-arrived Senshi, while Rubeus turned back towards Sailor Moon and ChibiUsa. The true battle was about to begin...

To be continued...

* * *

END NOTES: So, how was it? I'm trying something new with this series, so I'm not sure how well it'll work yet. As always, reviews would be appreciated; can't improve without feedback, after all. Also, bonus points to whomever knows who the third Black Moon member is. ;) 


	2. Ch2: Gathering Clouds

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: My sincerest apologies to all Demande's fans for that mistake. I should have rechecked that before I posted it. Although...storm clouds could be purple too, so...um...anyway. Chapter 2 is here, so enjoy, and if you find anything more that is wrong or could be improved, please let me know.

**

* * *

**

**Through Storm-Cloud Eyes**

Part 2: Gathering Clouds

by JG Chan

_Within a floating crystal citadel, two men conversed in low tones in the main hall. One sat casually upon a throne, sipping from a glass of red wine, while the other stood before him. The room was dimly lit by an eerie white light, leaving much of it in shadows._

_"And how did the attack go?"_

_"It's difficult to tell. The inner shield seemed to have begun faltering by the time our forces were driven off, but the enemy intervened much sooner than we had expected. The diversionary strike against the outer shield seems to have failed."_

_A frown. "I see... Have we lost many?"_

_"Fortunately not. Our troops had been instructed to withdraw if attacked, and the enemy hadn't taken up pursuit. As always."_

_"..."_

_"Pardon me for asking, but...are you sure we can trust that old man? His guarantee that our assault would succeed was worthless!"_

_"Calm down, brother. We all agreed to do this knowing the strength of our opponent. And his other plan to defeat our enemies has some potential, as well."_

_"Maybe so, if he'd sent the right people. Rubeus is loyal but foolish, and Oniko's allegiance has always been questionable. And the girl..."_

_"You want revenge, don't you?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Then be patient. The Wiseman has given us our chance to bring justice to those who have wronged us. Our enemies' strength is being sapped. Sooner or later, their shield will fall, and we will have our victory. Trust me."_

_"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry." A pause. "And what about the queen? What will we do with her, once we break through their defenses?"_

_"I have plans for her..."_

_"Brother...surely you don't think she'd submit, do you? We both know how strong-willed she is."_

_"Don't concern yourself with that. I know what I'm doing."_

_"But..."_

_"That's enough! I don't want to discuss this any further!"_

_An exasperated sigh. "Alright, then. Do as you please. But I was only trying to warn you."_

_"...I know, brother. Thank you."_

_The man on the throne watched as the other left the room, footsteps fading away into the distance. Storm-cloud eyes seethed again with passion as he thought of the subject of their most recent argument._

_"I will have you, Serenity..."_

* * *

Taking advantage of the brief distraction her friends had provided, Sailor Moon was finally able to prepare herself to fight. She deposited the still trembling ChibiUsa on the ground, putting on a smile despite the pain in her back. 

"Don't worry, okay?" she said reassuringly. The gentle tone of her voice seemed to come naturally, and ChibiUsa responded to it, relaxing a little. "I'll protect you, I promise."

The pink haired girl gave a small nod, and Sailor Moon stood up and turned to face Rubeus. Earlier on, when she had seen him appear before ChibiUsa, she had acted purely on instinct, transforming and rushing out to save the little girl without thinking. The ensuing chase hadn't given her any chance to retaliate either, and even now, she knew she couldn't move much without exposing ChibiUsa. Nonetheless, the presence of her friends and the need to protect the child behind her gave her the strength she needed.

Rubeus had turned his attention back to his prey by then, and sneered at the fierce expression on Sailor Moon's face. "Well, so you've finally decided to fight back. It's not going to do you any good, though."

"We'll see about that. MOON TIARA ACTION!"

The shining disc flew unerringly towards Rubeus, but he casually swatted it aside. He then countered with one of his energy clusters, but Sailor Moon already had her tiara ready again and threw it, intercepting the attack.

"Not bad," Rubeus conceded, "but how long do you think you can keep that up?"

Sailor Moon didn't respond, and instead glanced past the red-haired man to see how her friends were doing. Jupiter had gotten behind the ice droid where it couldn't blow its freezing breath at her, and had grabbed it in a hold of some sort. The droid was struggling fiercely, but the Senshi of Thunder had the advantage in close physical combat.

Mars and Venus were having more trouble, as the slime droid could seep through the ground and walls around them, making it very hard to hit. It would dive into a solid surface to avoid an attack, then strike from somewhere else, keeping its opponents from formulating a more effective attack plan.

"Watch out!" ChibiUsa screamed.

Sailor Moon looked up and quickly threw her arms up in defense as Rubeus attacked with another blast, staggering her. The Black Moon warrior then raised both hands in preparation for a double attack, grinning in anticipation of victory.

"SHINING ROSE BOMBER!"

The golden rose took Rubeus by surprise, hitting him hard in the shoulder. Tuxedo Kamen landed in front of Sailor Moon, cane held before him.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailor Moon exclaimed in relief.

"Sorry for being late," he apologized. "I'll hold him off. Take ChibiUsa somewhere safe."

Sailor Moon nodded, scooped up the pink haired girl, and leapt onto the nearest roof. She hopped over several more roofs until she reached a small open lot with a few trees growing in it.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" she asked as she put ChibiUsa down. The little girl shook her head. "Then wait for me here, okay? I'll be back after we take care of the bad guys, and we'll help you find your big sister."

ChibiUsa gave Sailor Moon a strange look, then nodded. "Thanks for saving me," she said simply.

Sailor Moon smiled at her and turned back the way she came. Summoning her Moon Rod, she reached the fight right as Tuxedo Kamen landed a punch in Rubeus' gut, and quickly launched her attack from the rooftop.

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

The attack caught the still airborne Rubeus by surprise and knocked him back several feet before he could react. Raising his arms, he formed an energy shield in front of himself, and glared at Sailor Moon.

"How dare you, you primitive!"

"We'll see how big you talk after I moondust you!" Sailor Moon countered, pressing her attack.

"Heh, aren't you the confident one," Rubeus replied with a smirk. "Why don't you look and see what's behind me?"

Warily, Sailor Moon risked a glance downwards and gasped. The red slime droid had caught Mars and Venus in a slimy web, and was poised to attack. Jupiter was still wrestling with the ice droid, and could not safely disengage herself to help her friends.

"So, what'll it be, little girl?" Rubeus asked. "Your friends, or the Rabbit?"

"I won't let you hurt any of them!" Sailor Moon shouted back. The crimson-haired warrior laughed.

"Then let's see you try and save both!" he challenged. "Jamanen! Finish them off!"

"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"

Startled, Rubeus, Sailor Moon, and Tuxedo Kamen all turned to see a wave of water wash over the slime droid, freezing it in place. Ripping one of her arms free from the now brittle web, Venus pointed it at the ice droid. "Jupiter, get clear! VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!"

As the Senshi of Thunder jumped away, the twisting chain pierced the droid, turning it into dust. Sailor Mercury and Athan joined the group, and Rubeus now found himself outnumbered seven-to-one. Growling in anger, he teleported out of the way of Sailor Moon's attack and onto another rooftop.

"This isn't over yet, you little brats!" he growled.

"Who are you?" Tuxedo Kamen demanded. "What do you want with ChibiUsa?"

Rubeus ignored him, and disappeared with a wave of his hand. The Senshi waited for a moment in case he tried to surprise them, then gathered around Sailor Mercury.

"Mercury, what's going on?" Sailor Moon asked.

"It's a bit of a long story," Mercury answered, blushingly lightly. "But...I've decided I'm going to stay with everyone."

"But what about your studies?" Jupiter asked.

"If I work hard, it doesn't matter where I study. And right now, this is where I want to be."

She had said the last part with conviction that would have surprised most who didn't know her well. Sailor Moon smiled happily and reached out to hug her blue-haired friend. 'We're all together again,' she thought. 'So we'll make it through this. I know we will.'

* * *

THURSDAY 

"Well?" Minako prompted, dropping her bookbag on the floor.

"Well...what?" Ami responded innocently.

"You said you were gonna tell us why you decided to stay," Usagi said, sitting down at Rei's table. Her hand reached for a cookie and grabbed empty air as Rei pulled the plate away. The blonde pouted at the grinning miko and tried again. And again. Meanwhile, Ami looked down, blushing.

"It's a little embarrassing," she said.

"Hey, that's okay," Makoto reassured her. "It's just the five of us here, and you know we won't make fun of you."

"Well...when I told Ryo-kun that I was going to leave, we got into a bit of a fight."

All movement around the table ceased, as four pairs of startled eyes turned towards Ami. "Eh!?"

"He said that he didn't agree," the blue-haired girl continued quietly. "I guess that shocked me a little, especially after you guys have been so supportive about it. And when I asked him why, he said that it wasn't what I wanted."

"You're kidding," Rei said flatly.

"That doesn't sound like Ryo-kun," Minako commented.

Ami shook her head. "It's not like that. I know he was trying to get me to think more about my decision...or at least, I do now. At the time, though, I reacted a lot you guys just did. I thought, 'who was he to tell me what I wanted?', and that he was selfishly trying to keep me here with him."

The other four girls were listening with rapt attention as Ami spoke, seeing a side of her that she almost never showed. Usagi absently tried for another cookie, but Rei pulled the plate away again and took one for herself.

"Anyway," Ami went on, "we were still in school, so we didn't talk about it much more then. He met me at the airport, though, and we ended up arguing again. He kept on insisting that I wasn't thinking of what I **really** wanted, and I just kept getting more and more frustrated. I mean, I had finally made my decision, and now he was saying I didn't do it right."

"Ami-chan..." Usagi said sympathetically. Ami smiled back at her, showing that she was alright.

"Ichirou-san arrived about then," she continued, using Athan's civilian name. "I think he probably saw what we were doing, but he didn't show it, as usual, and just gave me your gift." Her hand moved to touch the communicator on her wrist. "And, when I saw what it was...I realized Ryo-kun had been right. Somehow, I knew you guys were out there fighting, and leaving you suddenly seemed so **absurd**, I couldn't figure out why I even considered it..."

Ami sniffed and wiped at her eyes with one hand, and Usagi leaned over and hugged her. The others moved closer, their eyes showing similar states of emotion, and for a while no one spoke. Eventually, Usagi let go of the blue-haired girl, and Minako grabbed a box of tissues from Rei's dresser and passed it around.

"We'll always be together, won't we?" Usagi said happily.

"I still think Ryo-kun shouldn't have talked to you that way," Rei said to Ami. "I mean, even if his intentions were good, he could have been more tactful about it."

Ami shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "I'm actually glad he's so frank with me, Rei-chan. I know I can lose sight of my feelings sometimes, and he's there to remind me of them...and I try to do the same for him."

Rei gave her an unconvinced look, but she only smiled brighter and reached for a cookie. The miko smirked and tried to pull the plate away, but Ami had anticipated that and moved her hand ahead, snatching one of the smaller ones and bringing to her mouth. Usagi whimpered as one more treat forever escaped her.

"Looks like we have a lot of catching up to do, huh, Rei-chan?" Makoto remarked.

Rei blinked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you haven't gotten that close to Jadeite yet, have you?"

"I wasn't planning to."

The others looked at the raven-haired girl in surprise.

"Why not?" Usagi demanded incredulously, leaning across the table. "He likes you!"

"I don't have time to fool around, Usagi," Rei said calmly. "I have school, I have work here at the shrine, and I'm a Sailor Senshi, and those are more important right now."

"Then why are you spending so much time at his place?" Minako challenged.

"This and that are different," Rei replied firmly. "I'm just there to use their library. Besides, I already talked to him about this, and he agreed with me. So just drop it, okay?" She pushed Usagi back with her finger as she said the last part. The blonde pouted at her, then quickly reached out and snatched a cookie. A triumphant grin appeared on her face...and disappeared just as quickly when Minako stole the cookie and gobbled it down.

"So..." Minako said around her mouthful, ignoring Usagi's dark looks. "Since we're talking about boyfriends, how's Kenta-kun doing, Mako-chan?"

"Well, he and sempai are coming over next weekend," Makoto replied. The others exchanged amused glances at the mention of the brunette's former obsession, as well as her lack of protest at the term 'boyfriend'.

"How are Kyogo-san's injuries?" Ami asked.

"Pretty much healed, actually, last I heard. He still can't use his hands and foot very well, though."

"Maybe you should be glad about that, Mako-chan," Minako said jokingly. "Otherwise he might challenge Kenta-kun over who gets to date you or something."

"He's not **that** old-fashioned," Makoto defended him. The others rolled their eyes, as if saying 'Yeah, right.'

"We're not making fun of him, Mako-chan," Ami said. "Still, you have to admit that most formal martial arts carry a lot of tradition with them."

"Hey, Usagi-chan?" Minako piped up suddenly. "Have you figured out what's going on between Luna and Athan yet?"

"Huh? Oh, no," the shorter blonde replied a bit sadly. "Onii-chan doesn't want to talk about Luna behind her back, and Luna keeps telling me not to think about him. I don't know why I keep asking."

"Yeah, Artemis won't talk either," Minako said. "I wonder what the big secret is..."

Rei looked speculatively at the pensive blonde, unconsciously moving the cookie plate away from Usagi yet again. "You know, Minako-chan, you seem awfully interested in Ichirou-san," she noted blandly.

"Well, wouldn't you be?" Minako asked. "He's so...secretive. I thought it was just a ploy to keep the Dark Kingdom from finding out he was on our side, but he's still like that. Plus, he sealed away almost all his power just to stay near us, and then he just hangs around without really doing anything. Doesn't that bug you a little?"

"I'm a bit curious, as well," Ami agreed. "He's always polite when Rei-chan and I visit, but he's always distant, too. And he seems to know so much more about the past than we do..."

"Well, he never got reincarnated like the rest of us," Makoto noted. "Maybe that's it." She reached out and grabbed Rei's wrist before helping herself to the last cookie on the plate.

"I wonder if he knows anything about our enemy," Usagi said quietly.

"...You're worried about ChibiUsa-chan, aren't you?" Ami asked.

Usagi nodded. "She's just a little kid, but she has such dangerous people after her. And she still won't tell me anything." She looked up hopefully at Rei. "Rei-chan, have you found anything?"

The miko hesitated, wondering whether she should tell the blonde about Mamoru's plans. Finally, she decided to say as much as she could without revealing them. "I tried the fire again after yesterday's fight, and I did see something, but it isn't much."

"What is it?" Makoto asked, as everyone drew closer.

"There were some figures in shadow...six of them, with black crescents on their foreheads. And I saw ChibiUsa-chan, and she had a crescent mark too...but a golden one, like Usagi's." She looked at the blonde in question. "I think...there's a very important connection between you two."

"But what is it?" Usagi asked.

"I don't know," the miko replied truthfully. "I'm working on it as much as I can, and so are Jadeite and the guys." She smiled reassuringly at Usagi. "We're all in this together, right?"

"Yeah. I just wish I could help more, that's all..."

"Just stay with ChibiUsa-chan," Minako said. "I'm sure she'll feel better if she knows you're there for her, Usagi-chan. And if anyone can open her heart, it's you."

"Thanks, guys." Usagi smiled at her friends, and they smiled back. The next moment, however, she bolted up and pointed at the table with a loud cry of distress.

"Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" Ami asked, startled.

"WHO TOOK THE LAST COOKIE!?"

* * *

Rubeus gazed moodily into his viewing mirrors. Scenes of the busy city blinked into view in steady succession, though he paid little attention to them. His mind remained on his battle of the previous day, and on what he had discovered afterwards. 

"Hello, Rubeus."

The red-haired man suppressed a growl at the mocking tone in Oniko's voice. The black-clad woman stepped up next to him, ostensibly looking into the mirrors.

"So, Crimson Rubeus," she purred. "How does it feel to be beaten by a bunch of little girls?"

"I wouldn't know," he replied coolly. "Though nearly beating Sailor Moon feels rather nice, thank you."

Oniko frowned. "**The** Sailor Moon? The legendary protector of the Earth?" She stared at the mirrors, then sniffed disdainfully. "Are you sure you're not just in denial?"

"Believe what you want, woman," Rubeus sneered, "but when I take the Rabbit **and** the Silver Crystal from Sailor Moon, guess who'll be left with their mission unfulfilled?"

He laughed, and exited the room. Oniko stared after him with slitted eyes, then went back to her own quarters. She would need to plan for this unexpected development...

* * *

FRIDAY 

Nana looked down curiously at her food, though she tried to be inconspicuous about it. While she had made some effort to learn the customs of the Japanese, unlike her...compatriots, a great many things were still unfamiliar to her. Thankfully, at least, she could use chopsticks well enough.

Her attention turned to those around her, part of her still a bit bewildered; she had never been invited to a friend's home before. In the seat next to her, Usagi was eating with her usual enthusiasm, though the presence of her family seemed to have tempered her speed.

"So, Nana-chan, you said your parents travel a lot?" Ikuko asked.

"Yes, Ikuko-san," Nana answered politely. "They're both archaeologists, and they move around a lot to study different sites."

"I've heard that there are more and more excavations being made these days," Kenji noted. "It looks to be a good time to be in that field."

"But it must be hard having to move so much, isn't it?" Ikuko objected.

"Well, I'm used to it..." Nana replied, smiling a bit wistfully. "And if my parents are happy...then I'm happy as well."

"That's so mature of you..." the blue-haired woman marveled.

"Unlike some other blonde I could name..." Shingo cut in with a smirk. Usagi stopped eating and glared at him.

"Why can't you mind your own business, Shingo?"

"It's not my fault you're more immature than I am, baka-Usagi!"

"We have a guest, you two," Kenji warned sternly. This brought Usagi up short, and she gave Nana a sheepish smile.

"Ah, sorry, Nana-chan, it's a bit of a habit..."

"It's okay," Nana replied. "I have a little brother, too."

"Oh, is that so?" Ikuko smiled. "You should have brought him too, Nana-chan, it wouldn't have been any trouble..."

The question caught Nana off guard, and for a moment a pained expression came across her face. This was quickly replaced by a polite smile as the blonde recovered her composure, unaware that Usagi had seen the momentary slip and was looking at her curiously.

"Um, he's actually with some...relatives...right now, Ikuko-san," Nana explained, trying to keep herself under control. Perhaps sensing her discomfort, the others did not press her on the issue, and they resumed eating.

"Oh yes, Usagi-chan?" Ikuko said after a while. "When were you going to pick up ChibiUsa-chan?"

"Hmm? Oh! Umm...around seven?"

Ikuko sweatdropped. "...You forgot, didn't you, Usagi-chan?"

"ChibiUsa-chan...?" Nana asked.

"She's our cousin," Shingo explained. "She's over at Usagi's friend Makoto's place learning how to make curry."

"The lucky spore..." Usagi grumbled. "I bet she's getting to eat lots of Mako-chan's yummy curry right now..." Ikuko arched an eyebrow. "...not that Okaa-san's food is any less delicious, of course! Ahahaha..."

Nana couldn't help giggling, as Usagi set out to prove her sincerity by clearing the table of food. She felt at ease here, more so than she had anywhere else. There was just something about the blonde next to her that made her want to smile, despite all that she was doing. When Usagi had invited her over for supper, she had been worried over her own reaction to seeing a happy family...but that was gone now, and she let herself enjoy this small respite.

Some time later, the two schoolgirls left the Tsukino home. After they had said their goodbyes and Usagi had run off to Makoto's apartment, Nana remained standing in front of the house, thinking quietly.

"Enjoying yourself?" a voice asked from above. Tensing, Nana looked up to see Oniko floating above her with an amused smile. "Did you think you could hide from what you are by pretending to be 'normal?' Ha!"

"...What will you do?"

The black-haired woman shrugged. "Frankly, I don't care what you want to do with these primitives. Stay and live in this little dream of yours, if you want. After all, you were the one who offered to help, in exchange for your dear brother's safety. It's not like we really need you, you know?"

Nana bit her lip and averted her eyes from the woman's smug gaze. She heard Oniko laugh, followed by the faint sound of her teleportation, and let out the breath she had been holding. So much for a pleasant evening...

She glanced back at the Tsukino home and squared her shoulders. 'I won't give up now, Anshar,' she said to herself. 'No matter what I have to do, I'll get you back. So long as the two of us can be together, we can be happy, just like them. Wait for me, Anshar...'

* * *

Artemis looked up as Luna landed next to him. They were on the roof of Minako's house, where the white cat often went to think in relative peace. The sun had set not long ago, and the stars were just becoming visible. The sound of Minako's parents' voices drifted up faintly from the partially open window to the girl's room. 

"Were they arguing again?" Luna asked, noticing the glum look on Artemis' face.

"They were a while ago," he replied. "Minako-chan went to Mako-chan's place for supper." He looked more closely at the black cat. "You look worried yourself, Luna."

"Aren't you?" She padded over and laid down next to her fellow guardian. "We have new enemies that we know nothing about, we still know almost nothing about ChibiUsa-chan, and I get the feeling we're missing something. How can I not worry?"

"I take it you haven't made much sense of Rei-chan's visions, either."

"No..." Luna sighed. "And I'm worried about Usagi-chan, too. She acts normal most of the time, but sometimes I catch her looking at ChibiUsa-chan with such worry... I never thought this would affect her so deeply..."

"At least this time we have a bit more help," Artemis noted. "Mamoru-san seems to be regaining control of his psychic powers, and there's also Jadeite and Athan..."

"No!" Luna interrupted sharply, rising to her feet. "We can't trust him, and we don't need his help."

Her companion sighed, having expected that reaction. This was an extremely volatile subject for Luna, the end result of a number of pent-up emotions and unresolved problems from the Silver Millenium. In a sense, Artemis thought, it might have been better if Athan hadn't been exiled, and the conflict between them allowed to come to a head...but that was no longer relevant. Right now, he only hoped to have this resolved, for his own sake as much as for Luna's and anyone else's.

"Luna, don't you think you've held onto this for long enough?" he asked reasonably. "We both know he wasn't in control of himself back then."

"How can you say that?" she demanded indignantly. "You cared about Andrinor too, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I cared about Athan as well, as did you. You helped raise him, after all."

"That's exactly it!" Luna countered heatedly. "I know better than you how much he's changed! You weren't there, you wouldn't understand..."

"I understand you," Artemis interrupted calmly. "Luna...this isn't really about Athan, is it?"

"What are you talking about?" the black cat replied evasively.

"I know how you felt, Luna," Artemis pressed on, seeing the uncertainty in her expression. "I know what you were thinking when Athan attacked Andrinor and the princess. Luna, it wasn't y..."

"Stop it, Artemis!" The black cat shook her head, backing away from her companion. Artemis got up and started forward, but at that moment Luna turned and bounded off the roof, landing in the street a few jumps later and running off. The white cat didn't bother chasing her; he knew she was faster than him. With a sigh, he laid back down to wait for Minako. He didn't like pushing her like this, but he hoped, at least, that this would get her thinking again. 'Luna...'

* * *

SUNDAY 

"Looks like we're ready," Athan observed laconically.

Mamoru nodded, surveying the room around them. They were in the basement of the mansion, which, for whatever reason, had been built with stone like some ancient castle. The cloudy afternoon sky was visible outside the room's small window, and slightly out-of-place electric lights provided illumination. There was a clear space in the middle of the room, and a table against one wall on which they had laid out pouches, inks, sheets of old paper, and the like.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, Mamoru?" Jadeite asked skeptically. "When you get right down to it, we're basically dabbling with magic here...and I'm not nearly as good with it as Nephrite was. All kinds of things could go wrong."

"It's worth the risk," Mamoru replied firmly.

Athan nodded wordlessly and began drawing a yellow circle on the floor. After an appraising look at his prince, Jadeite shrugged and followed suit, the two of them carefully replicating the design they had found on the spell sheet. Mamoru simply waited, watching his friends work and mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do. If this worked, he could very well find an important clue that would either elucidate the meaning of his visions or help Sailor Moon somehow. If it didn't...well, he'd have to deal with it when the time came.

* * *

ChibiUsa cast worried glances up at the sky, which had been rapidly darkening since she had left the house. She clutched Luna-P tighter as thunder rumbled in the distance, fear growing inside her and overcoming her earlier despondence. 

At first, she had snuck out of the Tsukino home in order to avoid Usagi. ChibiUsa had known she was Sailor Moon from the moment the blonde Senshi had saved her from Rubeus, and that confirmed beyond a doubt that the Silver Crystal was in her possession. But it also left her with a dilemma: could she take the Crystal from the person who had risked her life to save her? She needed the Crystal to save her Mama...but her Mama had always been kind to others. Would she be happy knowing ChibiUsa had stolen something so important to save her?

She hated this. Things were so complicated now, and thinking about them made her head hurt. She wanted someone to tell her what to do. She wanted to be with her Mama and Papa again, and not be here in an unfamiliar time, all alone. She wanted everything to go back to the way it was before those black, spiky ships came...

A crash of thunder scared the pink-haired girl out of her thoughts, and she looked up fearfully at the completely overcast sky. 'Maybe I shouldn't have come out here...' she thought. A second peal of thunder had her looking around frantically for someplace to hide. Seeing a nearby playground, she ran over and ducked into a plastic dome. There were holes all over it, but at least it could keep the worst of the weather out.

The thunder was growing more frequent now, accompanied by flashes of lightning. Then the rain came, pattering steadily against the dome and falling through the holes to form wet spots on the ground inside. ChibiUsa sat against one of the walls, shaking and holding Luna-P tightly.

"Mama..." she whimpered. One small hand reached up and grasped onto the small key she wore on a string, seeking reassurance. The other, after brief hesitation, pressed Luna-P's nose. One of the ball's eyes began to glow, and a blurred image appeared.

"Puu, I want to come home," ChibiUsa said in a trembling voice.

"Small Lady..." The image spoke, its voice slightly distorted. "It is not time yet."

"But I'm scared, and I don't know what to do!" the child cried. She held up the small golden key. "I can use this to go home, right?"

"It is true that this key will allow you to travel through time...but it is dangerous to use it thoughtlessly."

"But..." Thunder crashed several times outside the dome, drawing a scream from the little girl.

"You must be strong," the voice urged gently. "The Silver Crystal is needed to save your Mother...And you're not alone, Small Lady. There are those who will help and protect you...you must be strong..."

The image faded, and ChibiUsa only cried harder. She wasn't strong like her Mama...and the Sailor Senshi wouldn't help her anymore if she took the Crystal, would they? 'I can't do this...' she silently despaired. 'I can't...I can't!' And with that, she ran out and lifted her key towards the grey, lightning-streaked sky. "I WANT TO GO HOME!"

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAHH!!" 

Usagi jumped as the sky rumbled above her. "I hate storms, I hate storms, I hate storms..." she repeated miserably to herself, pulling her raincoat tighter about her. She and Luna had been looking for ChibiUsa for close to twenty minutes now, and still they hadn't found her. The rain was not helping, either, and the blonde was seriously thinking of calling Mamoru over sp she wouldn't be alone.

"Usagi-chan!" Luna called out suddenly. Usagi turned, and saw the column of light rising from a playground a few blocks away. She gasped and quickly lifted her communicator.

"Guys, it's me!" she shouted over the noise of the storm. "ChibiUsa's in danger again, get here as soon as you can!" She then turned off the device and raised her brooch.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

* * *

Mamoru's head snapped up. He was sitting in the center of a large magic circle drawn on the stone floor. On his forehead was a rune which Jadeite had traced using a special ink. It was supposed to help him focus, but right now his danger sense was screaming at him to run. 

He looked at Jadeite. The blond man was already reciting the incantations he had memorized, but Mamoru knew he wasn't at the critical point yet. He could still back out of this and help Sailor Moon. Yet, another part of him was reluctant to have their work over the past week go to waste. For one thing, they had used up a lot of Nephrite's stored components, and to find more would take considerable time and effort.

Then his eyes caught Athan's glance. The dark-haired man seemed to sense what he was thinking, and moved towards the stairs. He gave Mamoru a quick nod of reassurance before disappearing, even as Jadeite's voice grew more sonorous as he reached the final part of the spell.

'Please be safe, Usako,' he sent out the thought even as his consciousness slipped away, sending his spirit into the realm of dreams.

* * *

ChibiUsa backed up against the dome she had been sheltering in. In front of her was a gray-skinned droid with a drum, holding a pair of electrified sticks. As it moved closer, Luna-P flew up towards its face, but the droid dodged and swatted the ball away. It then raised its sticks to attack. 

"Hold it right there!"

The droid raised its face and saw Sailor Moon jumping off the top of the dome, her foot aimed at its head. It quickly jumped back to dodge the attack, allowing Sailor Moon to land between it and ChibiUsa.

"To cause rain and thunder and terrify little children (and me), you are truly the lowest of lowlifes! For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I'LL PUNISH YOU!"

"Sailor Moon!" ChibiUsa cried.

"Fuuuraiki!" The droid brought its sticks together and unleashed a bolt of electricity at Sailor Moon, who braced herself but did not move. Electricity surged through her body, drawing a sharp scream from the young warrior. The droid grinned and prepared to intensify the attack, when suddenly Luna landed on its shoulders and clawed at her. The lightning fizzled out, and Sailor Moon brought her hand to her tiara even as Luna jumped off of the droid.

"MOON TIARA ACTION!"

The glowing disc sliced through the droid's drum, making its own attack backlash against it. Sailor Moon summoned her Moon Rod, intending to finish the droid while it was stunned, but something suddenly knocked the weapon out of her hands. Gasping in surprise, she looked down and saw a black-bladed throwing knife sticking out of the sand.

"I've been waiting for you, Sailor Moon," a woman's voice said from above. Both Sailor Moon and ChibiUsa looked up to see a figure perched atop a lamppost. It was clad in form-fitting black pants and top, leaving its pale arms bare beneath a long black cloak. One gloved hand came up and pushed back the hood, revealing short cropped black hair, a black crescent mark, onyx earrings, and a confident smile.

"Who are you?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"I am Jet-Black Oniko," the woman answered with a mock bow. "Warrior of the Black Moon clan. And now, Sailor Moon, I shall take your Silver Crystal."

"As if, you creepy old lady!" Sailor Moon shot back. Crouching down smoothly, she retrieved the Moon Rod and aimed it at Oniko.

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

Oniko smiled and leapt over the attack despite the still heavy rain. Sailor Moon's gaze followed her up, when suddenly ChibiUsa let out a frightened cry. That drew her eyes back down, just in time to see the black cloud forming at her feet.

"Yume!"

"What...?"

Sailor Moon stumbled back and lost her footing on the wet ground as a second droid appeared out of the cloud, its horned face inches away from hers. Screaming its name, it dove forward. Sailor Moon shuddered in horror as it began to flow into her body, and her eyelids grew heavy. She distantly heard ChibiUsa scream her name, and then...nothing.

To be continued...


	3. Ch3: Shadows in the Rain

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: Wheee! New chapter! To BleuFleur, yup, she is from SM: Another Story, though obviously I've modified her background somewhat. It was a pretty good game too, I think; too bad there aren't more Sailor Moon games around. As for Oniko, she's an original character, who's mostly here to fill in the void when I decided not to use the Ayakashi sisters. I think it works out fairly well, but we'll have to see as I post more chapters. On that note, on to the story, and hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Through Storm-Cloud Eyes**

Part 3: Shadows in the Rain

by JG Chan

_"Leave Mother alone!"_

_The startled man looked down at the two new troublemakers. They stood only knee-high next to his burly physique; the blue-haired one with gritted teeth and flashing eyes, the silver-haired one stony-faced yet equally hostile. Behind them, a woman was sprawled on the floor, a thin trail of red dripping down her alabaster chin._

_The large man snorted. "You two! Ha! Just whaddya think you can do runts?" He flung his head back, laughing uproariously. His next roar was just as loud, as he doubled over and clutched his groin in pain. The blue-haired boy grinned with satisfaction._

_"Why ya little bastards!!" the man hollered, stumbling back into a table. The other boy's eyes squinted dangerously at those words. In one swift movement, he had a small knife held at the man's throat._

_"Don't **ever** say that again," the boy warned icily. "And don't ever touch our Mother, or I'll..."_

_"Stop!"_

_Surprised, the silver-haired boy turned his head. The woman was sitting up with the help of the other boy. "Leave him alone, darling," she said softly._

_The silver-haired one hesitated, glancing back and forth between his mother and the now thoroughly cowed man. He grunted dismissively and put his weapon away. The man scrambled back to his feet and left, spluttering curses. He watched the coward run, then went to help his brother. Together,  
they led their mother to a couch._

_"Are you alright, Mother?" the younger, blue-haired one asked._

_"I'll be fine," she reassured them. "Don't worry." She looked at both of them. They were so young still, and yet... "I want you two to promise me something."_

_"Anything, Mother," the older boy replied, his brother nodding vigorously to add his agreement._

_"I want you to always remember who you are. You are the heirs of the Black Moon family. Our destiny is not like that of other people, and there will be those who fear and despise us. One day, there will be one from our clan who will come forward and help create a new, greater world. Until then, I want you to promise me that you'll stay alive. Promise me..."_

_"We do, Mother," the blue-haired boy answered earnestly._

_"Don't worry, Mother," his brother added. "I won't let anything get in the way of our destiny."_

* * *

"Usagi!" 

ChibiUsa knelt next to Sailor Moon's unconscious form, desperately shaking her by the shoulders, as Luna looked on worriedly. The blonde warrior looked like she was in deep slumber. Behind them, Oniko landed next to the recovered thunder droid, smiling in satisfaction.

"So much for the legendary protector of Earth," she gloated. "Furaiki, kill Sailor Moon. Then we'll take the Rabbit and the Silver Crystal, and have our victory!"

The droid nodded. Discarding its ruined drum, it tapped its sticks together, building up an electric charge as it approached its targets. ChibiUsa, holding tightly onto Sailor Moon, watched apprehensively as the sticks crackled with energy.

"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION"  
"BURNING MANDALA!"

The twin attacks hit the unprepared droid dead on, disintegrating it instantly. Oniko gaped at her lost minion, then turned to glare at the four Senshi running towards her. "How dare you interfere with me, primitives!"

"We won't let you hurt our friends!" Venus shouted back. Oniko hissed and threw a barrage of knives at the Senshi, who scattered to evade them. Mars and Venus moved to fight the black-clad woman, while Mercury and Jupiter went to check on Sailor Moon.

"ChibiUsa-chan, are you alright?" Jupiter asked, kneeling next to the little girl. Mercury had her computer out and was examining Sailor Moon intently.

"I-I'm alright, but this monster went inside Usagi! You've got to help her, Mako-chan!"

Jupiter and Luna both blinked. "You know who we are?" the brunette asked. The little girl wasn't listening, though, so she turned to Mercury. "How is she, Mercury?"

"I'm doing my best."

Jupiter nodded and turned to see how the fight was going. Oniko had just sliced one of Mars' ofudas in half when Venus engaged her in a fistfight. It didn't seem to be going well, though.

"What's the matter, dear?" Oniko taunted. "Too fast for you?" She was blocking every one of Venus' strikes with her cape, leaving no openings despite her opponent's speed. Although she didn't seem to be attacking at all, Venus was already bleeding from a number of shallow cuts on her arms and legs.

"Guys, get away from her!" Jupiter shouted. Venus ducked and sprang backwards in a sommersault, even as Jupiter wound up her attack.

"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"

The ball of lightning collided with Oniko's side. The evil woman flinched and retaliated with another wave of throwing knives. Jupiter nimbly danced out of the way, drawing the Black Moon warrior away from the others. Meanwhile, Mars and Venus were conferring.

"How did she manage to cut you like that?" Mars asked. "I never saw her hands..."

"Me neither," Venus replied. "I have no idea..."

"It's her cape," Mercury interjected, coming up to them. "I did a scan during the fight. It has razor edges."

"Just a cheap trick, then," Mars said.

"Maybe," Mercury replied, "but we have to deal with her quickly. I can't get Sailor Moon to wake up." She paused. "I wonder why Tuxedo Kamen hasn't shown up yet..."

Venus glanced back at the fight. Jupiter and Oniko were still going at it, flinging attacks back and forth. She circled around behind Oniko and got ready.

"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!"

Oniko looked back just in time and jumped. However, the chain of hearts caught onto her cape and pulled her back down. She nonetheless managed to land on her feet, albeit without a corner of her cape. Snarling, she took out several more throwing knives and readied them, when a sudden premonition made her glance up. With a cry of surprise she jumped back, narrowly avoiding Athan's spear as it slammed into the ground. Off-balance, she could only raise her arms in defense against Athan's follow-up swing. The heavy blow sent her staggering back several feet and caused the knives she was still holding to cut into her palm.

The mail-shirted warrior pointed his weapon at Oniko in silent challenge, and was soon joined by Mars and Venus. Knowing she had lost the advantage, the woman glared one last time at her enemies and swirled her cloak, teleporting away. Athan dematerialized the spear and joined the others around Sailor Moon. More preoccupied with her sleeping charge, Luna didn't object.

"What's the problem?" he asked Mercury, who was back to work on her computer.

"I don't know...I can detect the droid's presence, but I can't tell what it's doing. What's strange is that Sailor Moon appears to be sleeping normally, except I can't wake her."

Athan nodded and placed his fingers on Sailor Moon's temple, closing his eyes. Mars caught on and did the same on the other side. The others held their breath.

"She's caught in some kind of spell," the Senshi of Flame announced. "We'll have to wait for it to end, or for her to break free on her own. Unless..." She glanced inquiringly at Athan, who shook his head.

"Are you sure Usagi'll be alright?" ChibiUsa asked. Mars and Venus looked at her in surprise. The little girl then sniffed loudly, reminding all of them of how wet they were. The clouds were thinning now and the rain had stopped, but there was still a chill in the air.

"We should get Sailor Moon and ChibiUsa-chan someplace warm," Mercury suggested, wrapping her arm around the drenched little girl. "And private, as well."

"My car's around the corner," Athan offered, reverting to civilian clothing. "I can take you to the mansion."

The Senshi nodded. Jupiter picked up their sleeping princess, and everyone followed Athan to the car. After some arguing, Jupiter and Mars agreed to go home, as there wasn't enough room for all of them. The others quickly took off for Nephrite's mansion.

* * *

Sailor Moon looked around at the blackness surrounding her. She couldn't see anything, and yet she could feel solid ground beneath her feet. 'Where am I?' she wondered. 'Am I dreaming? Am I...dead?' A surge of fear hit her, but she gulped it down. 'There's no use in standing here worrying,' she told herself. 

She took a step forward, and felt something tug at her. Startled, she stopped, but she couldn't feel any ropes or anything. She tried moving again, and there was another tug. It felt almost like...something linked to her soul.

'Now what do I do?' she asked herself. 'Alright, think, girl. What does Rei-chan do when she talks to the fire? Umm, she just sits there? No, that can't be it. If it were that easy, we wouldn't need her! What else does she do? Umm...uhh...grrr, come on, concentrate, Usagi! Hey wait...concentrate? Is that it? Let's see...'

Sailor Moon tried to clear her mind, but that didn't work out very well as images of the fight, ChibiUsa, and Mamoru kept intruding into her thoughts. She then tried to focus on one single thing, and as always, her heart centered on Mamoru. Trusting in that, she let her mind sink into the depths of her soul, where the bond of their love glowed with golden light. Grasping it, she felt the tugging strengthen.

She let the pulsing force guide her along. Soon, bits and pieces of light emerged from the void, and she found that she could see again. Strange lights and swirling nebulae of various colours appeared around her, making it seem like she was walking in space. She looked around in wonder, almost forgetting why she was in this place.

"Who's there!?"

Sailor Moon started. 'That voice! That was Mamo-chan!' "Mamo-chan? It's me!" she said aloud.

There was a shimmer off to her right, and her beloved appeared, smiling at her. She laughed with relief and started towards him, fully intending to tackle him to the ground.

A tug pulled her back. She frowned. 'That makes no sense,' she thought. 'Mamo-chan's right here, so why is...?'

"Sailor Moon?" Mamoru called out. "What's wrong?" He started coming towards her. "Why don't you come to me?"

"I don't know, I..."

"Don't be afraid, Sailor Moon," he interrupted, coming closer still. "We're together now, so everything's okay."

"But where are we?" she asked, looking around uncertainly.

"That doesn't..." Mamoru started, but couldn't finish as he was brutally thrown backwards by and invisible force. Sailor Moon cried out, but before she could move to his side, his form blurred and became a dark cloud.

"Yume! Yume!" the droid screamed angrily. It flew towards Sailor Moon, but was again pushed back by an unseen barrier. Seeing her chance, Sailor Moon reached out into subspace for her Moon Rod...and found nothing. Her heart skipped a beat.

'This place must be interfering with my powers,' she realized. 'But what do I do now?'

As if in response, the swirling lights in the void brightened and began to converge around her, revolving like a miniature galaxy. As she watched, a sense of timeless peace spread over her. It covered her soul like a soft blanket, and she felt her anxiety fade into its warmth. Time seemed to have stopped. And in that moment of perfect serenity, a single question appeared in her mind.

"What is it that you desire?"

She smiled, and answered in the silence of her heart. At any other time, that answer could be one of myriad things: ice cream, chocolate cake, beating Minako at the Sailor V game...becoming a better Senshi, figuring out what was going on with ChibiUsa...marrying Mamoru, having a child with Mamoru, all her friends and loved ones living happily ever after... But that moment was different, and the answer she gave was none of those.

The lights around her flashed once, and everything started moving again. Sailor Moon's eyes fell on the droid, who had ceased its futile attacks and was watching her angrily. Her arms rose and crossed delicately in front of her chest, drawing the lights to her.

"MOON STARDUST FLASH!"

Sailor Moon spread her arms wide as she called out her new attack. The gathering light flooded out of her body in all directions, pure and warm and blindingly white. Powerless to resist, the droid screamed and faded away, and Sailor Moon resumed following the link deeper into this strange realm.

* * *

Ami quickly opened the doors to the large mansion as Athan carried Sailor Moon out of the car. Minako and Luna followed them in, the blonde holding the still-wet ChibiUsa in her arms. Athan led them to the nearest spare room and placed Sailor Moon on the bed, then stepped back. 

"What should we do now?" ChibiUsa asked.

"**You're** not going to do anything until we get you dried up," Minako told the little girl. She turned to Ami. "I'll take care of that and call Usagi's parents. We'll leave Sailor Moon to you, alright?"

Ami nodded with a smile, and the blonde left the room at a brisk pace, dragging Athan with her to show her the way. Luna stared after her thoughtfully.

"Minako-chan's remembering her true role, isn't she?" Ami noted, pulling a chair up next to the bed and placing her computer on her lap.

"It seems like it," Luna replied, nodding. "How did you know?"

"I'm starting to remember more, too." The blue-haired girl smiled ruefully. "I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to this. It's almost like living two lives at once..."

"You're doing very well, Ami-chan," the cat replied. "I'm very proud of all of you."

Ami merely smiled and went back to work, her fingers fluttering over the small keyboard. After a while, she stopped, frowning. "That's strange..."

"What's the problem?" Luna asked, concerned.

"I wouldn't call it a problem, exactly...It seems that Sailor Moon destroyed that droid on her own. It even looks like she got stronger somehow."

"So why isn't she awake yet?"

Ami sighed. "I honestly don't know. Ichirou-san and Rei-chan are the experts on magic; all I can do is monitor the energy patterns."

They were silent for a while until Minako came back with ChibiUsa, who was wearing an oversized shirt while her clothes dried. The blonde handed Ami a towel, then sat down on the other side of the bed and motioned for Luna to come over.

"Are you okay, Minako-chan?" Ami asked, looking at the faint cuts on her friend's arms.

"I'm fine," Minako replied. She took the extra towel she was carrying and began drying off the damp cat, who let out a contented purr. "Can't even feel them anymore. Anyway, I called Usagi's house and told her mom she'll be spending the night at my place. Athan said he might have some idea on what's going on with Sailor Moon and went off to check on it. How's she doing?"

"She's safe, for the moment," Ami answered. "We'll have to wait and see what happens next..." She turned to ChibiUsa, who was looking at Sailor Moon with a somber expression on her face. "Are you warm enough, ChibiUsa-chan?"

"Yeah..." the little girl responded quietly.

"You weren't fooled at all by our transformations, were you?" Ami asked frankly.

"Well, you all look the same," ChibiUsa answered a bit defensively.

Ami gazed at the pink-haired girl for a moment, then got up and walked over to her. ChibiUsa looked up suspiciously as Ami knelt down in front of her.

"ChibiUsa-chan, would you like to tell us the truth now?" she asked gently. "Do you know anything about the people who are after you?"

For a moment, ChibiUsa looked like she would refuse, as she always had. But she seemed to be wavering this time, her eyes darting back and forth between Ami and Sailor Moon. Minako and Luna were watching the two intently.

"...It's no use," ChibiUsa mumbled finally, averting her eyes. "There's nothing you can do anyway."

"Hey, don't just give up on us like that," Minako protested lightly. "We all want to help you, ChibiUsa-chan, if you'd just let us..."

"Then give me the Silver Crystal!" the pink-haired girl blurted out.

"ChibiUsa-chan..."

"You won't, right?" the girl sobbed. "I knew you wouldn't, so why..."

"We might."

All three girls turned to stare at Luna in surprise. The black cat hopped off of Minako's lap and approached ChibiUsa. "I think...if you tell us what's going, then Usagi-chan **would** lend you the Crystal...or at least use it to help you."

"You're lying," ChibiUsa accused her.

Luna shook her head. "You don't really think that, do you? Usagi-chan really cares about you...more than even she knows, I think." The cat looked over at the sleeping blonde with a proud smile. "She came out in a thunderstorm to look for you today, and I didn't even have to tell her twice. She's usually terrified of storms, but when she saw your moonbeam, she completely forgot about that." She turned back to ChibiUsa. "If there's anyone who'll help you, ChibiUsa-chan, it's her. Won't you at least try to trust her?"

The pink-haired girl looked uncertainly at Luna, and then at Sailor Moon. She thought back to before the attack, when Puu had said that she wasn't alone. And to be truthful, there really was no one else she could rely on in this time period. 'Mama...should I tell them?' she asked silently.

A memory surfaced in her mind, an image from the time when Rubeus had first found her. With her back charred by repeated attacks, Sailor Moon had smiled warmly at her and promised her she'd protect her. The gentle, caring tone of those words had reminded her so much of her Mama that they had washed away her fear...and even as she remembered them now, she felt her uncertainty fade a little.

Looking back at the girls and Luna, she took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay...I'll tell you."

* * *

Jadeite leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath. The spell itself had gone without a hitch, and now all he had to do was make sure nothing was disturbed. Everything else depended on Mamoru, who was lying peacefully in the middle of the warded circle. 

The blond man glanced around the room, grinning at the familiarity of the layout. After so long, Nephrite **still** did everything the same way.

The door at the top of the stairs opened. Jadeite tensed and spun around, fully alert. There was a sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, and then a voice called out. "It's me, Jadeite."

Jadeite relaxed as Athan came down the rest of the way and surveyed the room. "How did it go?" he asked.

"Pretty well, I think," the blond shrugged. "The spell went as we expected, Mamoru conked out, I sit and watch. How about you?"

"We won," Athan replied simply. "A few complications, though..." He stepped up to the edge of the circle, and brushed the edge of the magical field with his fingers, sensing the state of the spell.

"Oh?"

"Sailor Moon's consciousness is in that spell with him."

"WHAT!? How did **that** happen?"

"The bond between them probably reacted when that droid put her to sleep. Either way, it looks like we'll have to wait after all." The two of them exchanged glances, then each found a seat as they waited for their prince and princess to awaken.

* * *

He could feel her close by. The bond that connected the two of them was pulsing strongly within his soul, distracting him from his own task. He turned in the direction it indicated, and sure enough, he could see her approaching. 

"Sailor Moon! Over here!"

On hearing his voice, she started running. A few seconds later she hurled herself into his arms, almost sobbing with relief.

"Oh Mamo-chan!" she spoke into his shoulder. "I'm so glad you're here! I woke up and there was nothing, and I didn't know where I was, and then I felt something pulling at me so I followed it, and then I saw you but it wasn't you just a droid in disguise and I dusted it and now...and now..."

"Calm down, Usako," he told her soothingly. "Take a deep breath."

She did as she was told.

"Alright, now start from the beginning."

She nodded, and proceeded to tell him everything that had happened that day, up to when she had fallen under the droid's spell. At the end, she had calmed down significantly and looked up at him with curious eyes. "Mamo-chan, if you're really here, then I'm not just dreaming, right? What's going on?"

Mamoru hesitated briefly, then mentally shrugged. He had planned on telling her the next day, anyway. "Usako, the truth is...I've been seeing these visions, ever since ChibiUsa appeared."

"Visions?"

"I've been seeing images of a crystal city," he recounted, "grander and more beautiful than anything I've ever known. There was a large palace there, and someone was inside the top of the central tower, but I couldn't see who... And then, the last time...I saw you in the vision, as Serenity, and the city being destroyed."

Sailor Moon gasped. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Mamoru sighed. "I didn't want you to worry, Usako. You were already so concerned over ChibiUsa, and the last thing I wanted was to make it worse with some vague images. I thought I'd find out more information first, and then we could..." He stopped abruptly when he saw the anguished expression on Sailor Moon's face. "Usako? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Mamo-chan," she said shakily. "I...I'm troubling everyone so much, aren't I?"

"No!" he said emphatically, taking hold of her shoulders. "Usako, you are not going to get any silly ideas about not being good enough."

"But..."

"I said no," he repeated firmly. He paused, then continued in a softer tone. "I know you're worried about ChibiUsa and the new enemies, but that's no reason to be so hard on yourself. We're in this fight together, right? And so long as we're together, we'll be alright. You're the one who showed me that."

"Yeah..." Sailor Moon smiled up Mamoru, feeling his love pouring into the link between them, and her own flowing back. It was a strange but pleasant feeling, and the two of them stayed where they were for a while, savouring this unique aspect of their situation.

At length, Mamoru pulled back from their embrace and looked in the direction he had originally been going. "Well, back to work, I guess..."

"What exactly are you doing?" Sailor Moon asked. She followed his gaze, but couldn't see anything special in the space-like darkness.

"Oh, I didn't say, did I? I'm trying to contact the Earth's guardian spirit...or whatever it is that's filling that role. It's a spell Jadeite and I dug up from Nephrite's library." He paused in thought, then held out his hand to her. "I don't know exactly what we'll find, but..."

Sailor Moon smiled and took his hand, accepting the tacit invitation. The two moved further into the void. It was impossible to tell time in such a place, but eventually Mamoru stopped, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Something's here," he warned. Sailor Moon stopped beside him, both of them scanning their surroundings warily.

It began as a subtle fluttering in the starry void, like cloth in a gentle breeze, though the air was still. The movement slowly grew more pronounced, becoming a vast cloak formed out of space itself, its billowing surface dotted with stars and distant, spinning galaxies. It flowed outwards from a point before the two humans, the material surrounding them and trailing off into the distance.

Then, a hand reached out from the folds of the starry cloak, unadorned save for a simple coiled gold bracelet. The hand rose gracefully and took hold of the cloak's material. Pulling it aside, it revealed the face of its owner, a beautiful, ethereal woman with smooth, lightly-tanned skin. A lock of ruby red hair hid one eye from view, while the other was dark red and filled with wisdom. Both Sailor Moon and Mamoru could feel the force of her presence, powerful yet somehow muted and distant, and the melancholy sadness that suffused her being.

The ghostly figure gave its two visitors the faintest of smiles, and its voice suddenly echoed within their minds, rich and smooth yet tinged with regret. "Greetings, Prince of Earth, Princess of the Moon," it said formally.

Mamoru stepped forward and bowed, pushing aside his nervousness. "Greetings," he replied respectfully. "We have come seeking the wisdom of the guardian spirit of Earth."

"Your purpose is known to me," the spirit said gravely. "You seek the meaning behind the images before your mind's eye. However, I am not the one whom you seek." Mamoru's heart sank. "Nonetheless," the spirit continued, "I can offer you one truth behind the trials you face. Will you listen, Prince of Earth?"

"Certainly."

"Those whom you fight now are not your true enemies," the spirit said sadly. "Their goals have been twisted by another, and though they do not know it, they are but pawns of that one."

Mamoru and Sailor Moon exchanged glances, then looked back at the spirit, who had lowered its eyes and seemed to be resting. Sailor Moon hesitated briefly, then stepped forward.

"Umm, excuse me..." she began nervously. The spirit's eyes rose back up to meet hers, and she gulped. "Umm...were you the one who gave me my new attack earlier?"

The spirit smiled. "No, Princess of the Moon. I cannot interfere directly in your reality; and even if such was not the case, that power was not mine to give. It is purely your own, born of your soul in an instant of clarity...but that is enough. It is time now for you to return..."

Even as the words were spoken in their minds, they felt something pull at them, growing steadily stronger. Sailor Moon looked back one last time at the star-cloaked spirit, and felt her gaze returned with a peculiar sense of longing. And then, with a soundless rush, she felt herself returning to her body...

* * *

Rei walked aimlessly around the shrine's courtyard, lost in thought. The storm had passed and the sky was clear, with the sun now close to the horizon. The reddening sky cast long shadows across the shrine as it hit the torii gate. Phobos and Deimos were perched on the eaves of the roof, quietly watching their mistress as she wandered. 

In truth, the young miko was feeling rather morose, and her worry over the day's battle was only one part of the reason. The other was a picture that was currently resting on her dresser, showing herself and her grandfather in front of the shrine. In itself this was hardly abnormal, but one who was paying attention would notice that the picture was off-center...as if it was supposed to contain three people, not two.

"Yuuichirou..." Rei whispered, "you truly are gone, aren't you?"

She thought back to the conversation she had had with Jadeite a few weeks earlier, when they had agreed not to pursue their relationship just yet. It had surprised her that he agreed so easily. "I know you don't like to be pushed into things, Rei," he had said seriously. "Or at least, the past you didn't...and until we get to know each other better, that's the only you I can work with. So if you're not ready yet, I'm willing to wait."

Rei sighed. There was one of the problems: his memory was more or less complete while hers was not, and she couldn't help wondering whether she was still the person he had loved in the past. It frustrated her to no end whenever she thought about it, and there was no one else to whom she could turn for advice. And with all that was happening now, she didn't want to have to worry about that as well.

Her introspection was interrupted when her spirit sense picked up something unfamiliar. Shaking herself out of her daze, Rei followed it towards one of the shrine's side buildings which was currently not in use. The energy she sensed grew more distinct, and its dark nature became clear.

'Could it be the enemy?' Rei wondered, reaching into her clothes for an ofuda. 'But why would they be here?'

Reaching the building, she debated with herself on how to handle this before settling on the direct approach. With a sudden burst of speed, she flung the door open and flicked on the lights. "Who's there!?"

Taken by surprise, the intruder inside raised an arm to shield her eyes, allowing Rei time to get a clear look. She was a young girl, with long blonde hair tied in two pigtails by a pair of ribbons. She wore a form-fitting black and purple suit, with a reversed heart brooch over a white and gold collar, and in one hand she held a slim black crystal. The dark energy Rei had felt emanated from that, though she could tell some effort had been made to conceal it.

"Who are you!?" she repeated. The girl did not answer, instead flinging out her free hand in a wide arc. Rei jumped aside as several small energy balls flew past, ripping through the shoji screens. The black-clad intruder then sprang for the exit, unaware that Rei was ready for her.

"AKURYOU TAISAN!"

Rei threw her ofuda, which pasted itself on the girl's arm and caused it to go numb. She dropped the black crystal and lost her footing, tumbling over the wooden walkway around the building before rolling back onto her feet. Turning back, she saw the raven-haired miko standing over her fallen crystal, several more ofuda in her hand.

"You're not getting away!" she shouted fiercely. "AKURYOU TAISAN!"

"LAPIS SWIFTLET!"

A cluster of dark blue wing-shaped blades erupted from the girl's hand, each seeking out and destroying one of Rei's thrown ofuda. The blonde glared at her opponent, who narrowed her eyes when she saw the black crescent on her forehead. Then the black-suited girl turned and ran, quickly disappearing into the woods. Rei decided not to follow her alone, and instead bent down to pick up the black crystal. It was time for another session with the sacred fire, it seemed...

* * *

Ami's computer emitted a loud beep at the same time as Sailor Moon opened her eyes, looking around in confusion. "Where am I?" she asked groggily. 

"Sailor Moon!" Minako rushed over to the bed and gave her friend a crushing hug. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

"Minako-chan? What's going on?"

"We're in Nephrite's mansion," Ami explained. "After you were knocked out, we had a fight with that strange woman in black. We drove her off, but we couldn't revive you, so Ichirou-san brought us here."

"Are you feeling alright, Sailor Moon?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine...wait, what about ChibiUsa? Was she hurt?"

"She's okay, Sailor Moon," Minako assured her. "She was really tired after everything that happened, so I put her to bed in the room next door."

Sailor Moon breathed a small sigh of relief, letting her transformation fade away.

"So, what really happened to you?" Ami asked curiously.

"I, uh, I'll tell you guys later." Usagi looked around. "Is there a phone around here? I need to talk to Mamo-chan."

"He'll be up soon," Athan announced from the doorway. "Just as soon as he works out all those cramps."

"What's Mamoru-san doing here?" Luna asked.

Athan shrugged. "I'll let him do the explaining. Drinks, anyone?"

* * *

Oniko prowled the corridors of Rubeus' spaceship like a restless animal. The pain of her injuries had dulled somewhat, but her wounded pride was still bleeding. 

"How dare those...**savages** hurt me!" she ranted. "I'll **never** forgive this!"

"I take it you haven't been any more successful than I," Rubeus remarked from her behind her.

"Lousy luck," Oniko muttered under her breath, before raising her voice. "What do you want, Rubeus?"

He smirked. "Just to give you a friendly warning. Why don't you lay low and let me handle this, hmm? I doubt the Wiseman would have much more use for you if you keep getting hurt like this."

"You're no better off than I am, Rubeus," she retorted. The red-haired man glared at her.

"Just stay out of my way, woman," he growled, turning to leave. Oniko watched him go, then swore and punched the wall with her good hand.

"Just you wait, Rubeus," she said to herself. "The next time you slip up, I'll make sure you never interfere with me again."

To be continued...


	4. Ch4: Thunder and Lightning

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: New chapter:) Not much to say this time, really. This one's a bit longer than usual; it was originally supposed to be two separate chapters, but in the end I decided to fuse them together and get rid of some unnecessary stuff. Now, on to the story!

**

* * *

**

**Through Storm-Cloud Eyes**

Part 4: Thunder and Lightning

by JG Chan

_Screaming and shouting filled the air. The once green fields were stained red with blood, and bodies lay in scattered piles. A miasma of death and despair hung over the battlefield like a pall of choking smoke._

_The lady stood on a hill overlooking the carnage. Her hair fluttered in the wind, two long golden tresses. Her posture was regal and calm, and the warriors arrayed beside her were equally composed. Her eyes, however, shone with tears unshed as she gazed upon the bloodbath that had torn so many families apart. So many lives lost._

_A clarion sounded, crisp and clear in the heavy air. The sounds of battle slowly died down as fewer and fewer soldiers were left fighting. Sharp screams of sudden pain gave way to the low groans of the dying. From among the knot of remaining warriors, a young man appeared, heading for the hill, and the lady. His silvery hair was streaked red, as was the bright sword in his hand._

_A dark-haired, lavender-suited man stepped in front of the lady, a crystal-tipped rod held up threateningly. Behind them, several of their companions tensed in readiness. However, the lady put a delicate, soothing hand on the man's arm, and he reluctantly stood aside._

_The young rebel stopped a few feet before the lady, standing proud and defiant, even though he knew he had lost. His blood-splattered and torn clothing contrasted starkly with the lady's pristine white gown. Raging storm-cloud eyes stared into orbs of clear sky blue._

_At first, the rebel glared at the lady, conveying to her all his hatred for those who would subjugate others to their will and let injustice run amuck. Anger flared like a hungry red flame, fueled by his passion for his cause and his devotion to those who fought beside him. He flung all his hostility at her, and braced himself for a contest of will._

_What happened then caught the young man by complete surprise. He had fully expected an onslaught of magical power; after all, everyone knew of the might this single woman possessed. But instead, what he saw in those eyes was..._

_Sadness.  
Pain.  
Compassion._

_His gaze faltered. Try though he might, she remained completely unfazed by the hate he displayed. Instead, she silently offered to help him, to clear away the pain and rejection that he and his friends had suffered. A flicker of doubt appeared in the stormy eyes, before his resolve hardened in stubborn pride._

_But that did not last long. His sword slid from his hand and landed on the ground with a muffled thud. He had failed in his mission. And those enthralling blue eyes would remain engraved in his mind forever after..._

* * *

The group had gathered in the mansion's large sitting room, except for Minako, who had volunteered to keep watch over ChibiUsa. Mamoru and Usagi, the latter nursing a mug of hot cocoa, were sitting on one couch, with Luna laying on the backrest. Ami, Jadeite, and Athan sat across the table on the other couch, listening as Mamoru and Usagi explained everything that had happened to them while they were under the spell. 

"So this spirit woman never told you who she was?" Luna asked the two of them. Both shook their heads.

"It didn't feel like she was lying, though," Usagi added pensively. "She seemed so...sad. Like something really, really bad happened to her."

"I felt sort of the same thing," Mamoru agreed. "Still, it's too bad we couldn't find out anything about the visions. Knowing that there might be a mastermind behind these Black Moon people doesn't help as much as knowing what they want."

"Actually, we do have more information now," Ami corrected him. "While we were waiting for Sailor Moon to wake up, ChibiUsa-chan told us her story." She smiled at Usagi's shocked expression. "I think we finally convinced her that we really want to help."

"And...?" Jadeite asked impatiently.

"As you guys suspected, she's from the future," Ami told them. "From the thirtieth century, to be precise. She said she lived with her parents in the palace of Crystal Tokyo, and that one day the city was attacked by invaders. Something happened to her mother during the attack; ChibiUsa-chan said she has been asleep ever since then. She thinks the only thing that can save her mother is the Silver Crystal, so she came back to the past to find it."

"Those invaders would be the Black Moon, I suppose?" Athan guessed. Ami nodded.

"But how did she come here to the past?" Usagi asked.

"She has a key that she always carries with her," Luna explained. "That's what she used to come here, but apparently it doesn't work all the time."

"Well, this does clear up some things," Jadeite noted. "Not much, but some."

"Poor ChibiUsa..." Mamoru said sadly, glancing in the direction of the guestrooms. "She came here all by herself to help her mother..."

"Yeah," Usagi agreed. "I don't know what I'd do if I were in her place, stuck in a strange time without any of my friends. She must have been so lonely..." She turned to her friends. "We have to help her!" she said passionately.

"Definitely," Ami agreed.

"So we know the enemy is here to prevent ChibiUsa-chan from saving her mother," Luna summarized, "either by capturing her or the Silver Crystal. We'll have to protect both while we figure out how to beat them."

The others nodded, but before anyone could continue, the clock sounded seven times. As if on cue, Usagi's stomach growled at its owner, who looked up a bit sheepishly.

"Well, you girls **have** had a rough day," Mamoru noted. "How about we stop for today and get some rest? We can discuss this some more with everyone later."

With no one objecting, they all rose and prepared to leave, with Ami going to fetch Minako and ChibiUsa. Mamoru headed out back to retrieve his motorcycle while Athan offered to drive the girls home, and they all headed their separate ways.

* * *

"I'll call Rei-chan and Mako-chan and let them know what happened," Ami promised as she got out of the car. She waved goodbye as Athan started to drive off, heading for Minako's house. 

"I've been meaning to ask, **Ichirou-san,**" Luna said after a while, "just why is it that you're still around."

"Luna!" Usagi protested, a bit shocked at the bite in the cat's tone.

"I've told you before, Luna," Athan answered impassively. "I'm here to help the Sailor Senshi, nothing else."

"And what if we don't need your help?" Luna countered acidly. Usagi scowled down at her guardian and bopped her on the head.

"Then you're free to ignore me," Athan replied calmly.

Luna gave him a sullen look, but did not respond. The rest of the drive passed in silence, though Usagi and Minako exchanged several worried looks. Finally, they stopped in front of Minako's house. Artemis immediately jumped down from the window onto the sidewalk and came up to them.

"Is everything alright?" he asked them.

"We're fine, Artemis," Minako replied, then turned to Usagi. "Usagi-chan, why don't you take ChibiUsa-chan and Luna inside and get settled in? I'll come up later." She handed Usagi the key. The other girl nodded wordlessly and carried the sleepy pink-haired girl towards the door.

Luna threw another hard look at Athan, then followed after the blonde, avoiding Artemis' eyes all the while. The white cat glanced between Luna and Athan, then sighed and headed for the house as well, a worried look on his face.

A few seconds passed in silence.

"Was there something you wanted to say?" Athan asked quietly.

"Actually, I was going to ask the same question as Luna." Minako shifted slightly in her seat to stare at the man beside her. "Why is it that you're really staying?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because you don't make any sense, Athan, and it bothers me," she admitted candidly, giving the older man a cheeky smile. "You probably had more power than all of us combined, and then you go and seal it away. You said you did it to prove your sincerity to Luna, but you're obviously going to stay even if she objects. And to top it off, you're a former prince and war hero, yet all you're doing is hanging back and giving suggestions. How do you expect us not to be curious? Besides," she added a bit more seriously, "it's always easier when you have someone to share your thoughts with, isn't it?"

"True...but there are also times when saying too much only brings worry." He gave Minako a solemn look. "For what it's worth, I'm not keeping secrets because I don't trust you."

"That's good...but I still want to know," the blonde replied firmly.

Athan said nothing, turning in his seat to return Minako's gaze and making her swallow nervously. She could still remember that time he literally shut off her mind by just looking at her, and even though he could no longer do it, it still creeped her out. She didn't back down, however, and stared defiantly back into those night-dark eyes of his, conveying her thoughts to him without words.

For a long while, neither of them said anything, and Minako began to worry a little about making Usagi wait...or her cleaning out the fridge. Just then, Athan relented and sat back in his seat, looking straight ahead. Minako took the opportunity to rest her eyes a little, before turning back to look at him.

"You already know that I was exiled for killing Serenity's father," he began softly. "I've carried the guilt of that act with me for twelve thousand years, clinging to the hope that I could do something to redeem myself. When I finally reached the Moon fifteen years ago, I found out that Serenity would be reborn on Earth. I swore an oath then to protect her and aid her as best I can. That's my original reason for being here."

Minako blinked. "Original? You mean it's not true anymore?"

"No, my promise still holds...but I've come to realize--or rather, confirm--something more." He turned to look at Minako, a faint gleam passing briefly through the black wells of his eyes. "Watching Sailor Moon these past months...her power is completely different from mine or just about anyone else's that I know. I want to see where it leads her...whether she can bring an end to the great darkness. And for that, she has to grow on her own; I will do all I can to help, but help is all I'll do."

"Great darkness?" Minako looked confused.

"It's not something you need to worry about yet," Athan replied with a shake of his head. "Anyway, did that answer your questions?"

"Sort of," Minako answered with a small smile, "but I guess that's all I'll get out of you for now. You're a strange guy, you know that?"

Athan shrugged. "Old age does that, I'm told. You should probably go in now." Then he raised his voice. "And Usagi, it's not polite to eavesdrop."

There was a faint 'Eep!' from the vicinity of Minako's communicator, followed by the click of the device closing. The blonde smiled apologetically at Athan and got out of the car, watching him drive away without a word. Then she looked up at her window and winked at Usagi. In so doing, she caught sight of Luna sitting on the roof, watching the car disappear with a troubled look on her face, and Artemis watching Luna with a similar expression from further back.

'Good luck, Artemis,' she silently encouraged her friend and guardian. 'You'll get through to her. I know you can.'

And with that, she went inside to her waiting friend.

* * *

MONDAY 

With school out, the girls were gathered once again at the Hikawa shrine, along with Mamoru, Jadeite, Ryo, and ChibiUsa. The pink-haired girl was sitting in Mamoru's lap, to Usagi's mild annoyance, but the blonde kept quiet.

"You know," Rei remarked as she slid the door closed, "if we're going to keep meeting in such a large group, we might want to find a different place. It's starting to look crowded in here."

"Well, we could use our mans..." Jadeite began, but trailed off as several warning glances were directed at him. He glanced at Luna and coughed. "Uh, actually, never mind, it's rather far to travel anyway." The black cat looked away a bit uncomfortably.

"Yeah, and our parents would throw a fit if they found out we were going to strange men's houses," Minako added. She then grinned evilly at Jadeite. "Or was that what you were hoping for? To lure innocent young maidens to your dark, secluded mansion?"

"Wh...what the hell are you talking about!?" Jadeite spluttered, a slightly panicked look in his eyes. The rest of them just sweatdropped at the blonde girl's antics.

"Minako-chan, that wasn't very nice," Ami said reprovingly.

"Well, men do get more lecherous with age, don't they?" Minako defended herself.

"She's got a point there," Rei agreed sourly.

"Alright, that's enough," Luna said, calling the meeting to order. "We can decide on a new meeting place later, if it becomes necessary. Rei-chan, didn't you have something you wanted to show us?"

The miko nodded and went to her desk, returning with the black crystal she had found the day before. She laid it on the table and explained how she had ended up with it.

"So there's another member of the Black Moon here," Artemis said grimly.

"But why would they target the shrine?" Makoto wondered. "They don't know who we are, right?"

"I'm not sure that this is directly connected with ChibiUsa-chan and the rest of us," Rei said. "I used the fire last night to search for information about that crystal, and it showed me something strange..."

"Strange?" Luna repeated. "Like what?"

"An ice cream stand, a cosmetics shop, a grocery store, and some other shop I couldn't really make out."

The others looked at each other in confusion.

"Are you sure you weren't thinking of shopping last night, Rei-chan?" Usagi asked her.

"Of course not!" she replied indignantly.

"ChibiUsa-chan, have you seen this kind of crystal before?" Minako asked. The little girl looked up from her lap and shook her head.

"I wonder..." Mamoru spoke suddenly, his tone thoughtful. "There might be something I can try..." The others turned their attention to him as he reached out and took the crystal. Holding it firmly, he closed his eyes in concentration...and almost immediately shuddered, dropping the crystal and bringing his hand to his temple.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi and ChibiUsa both cried out in concern. The young man opened his eyes and took a steadying breath.

"I'm fine," he reassured them. "I was just startled, that's all."

"Was that object-reading?" Ryo asked a bit incredulously.

Mamoru nodded. "More or less. I just re-learned the basics of it not long ago, but I've never tried it before."

"What's object-reading?" Makoto asked.

"It's a form of what people call extra-sensory perception," Ami explained. "It's when a person learns about an object by touching it."

"So what did you see, Mamoru-san?" Artemis asked.

"A pentagram around a crystal palace."

There was a moment of silence as everyone considered this new information. ChibiUsa fidgeted a little in Mamoru's lap, and he unconsciously put one arm around her.

"A pentagram has five points, and the fire showed four locations...plus the shrine here," Ryo said speculatively. "There'd almost have to be a connection, wouldn't there?"

"That's certainly possible," Luna agreed. "Rei-chan, did you recognize any of the places you saw in the fire?"

"I think...the cosmetics shop was called Otafukuya...and there was Juuban Supermarket..."

"I know where that one is," Makoto said. "I go there sometimes." She paused. "Come to think of it, they've had a lot of their products go bad recently."

"Can you tell me the address, Mako-chan?" Ami asked, pulling out her computer. The brunette did so, and Ami typed for a minute before turning the screen around to show everyone. It displayed a map of Tokyo, with a number of pentagrams overlapping each other. "With two points known, there are four different ways of forming a pentagram," she explained. "We could check the locations of these other points to see if they match what Rei-chan saw."

"But what about Mama?" ChibiUsa suddenly blurted out. "You said you were gonna help me!"

"ChibiUsa-chan, we're not saying we won't," Minako said soothingly. "But if the Black Moon's planning something that could affect the future, then we have to stop them, right?"

"Wait, Minako-chan," Usagi interrupted. "I think ChibiUsa's right. We **did** promise her, and we can't go back on that." The pink-haired girl gave her a slightly surprised look, and Usagi smiled back at her reassuringly.

"Well, why not do both at the same time?" Jadeite suggested. "You guys can help the kid, like you said, and Athan and I can handle this other business. I'm sure we can manage."

Luna frowned, but did not say anything. Artemis seemed relieved at that. "That's not a bad idea," he said, moving right along. "Now then, how exactly do we plan to help ChibiUsa-chan's mother?"

Usagi turned to the little girl. "ChibiUsa, do you think you can use your key to bring us to the future?"

"Y...you're coming with me?" ChibiUsa asked, startled.

"We're going with her?" Rei said at the same time, equally shocked.

Usagi nodded. "Yes. If I just lend you the Crystal, I'm worried that the Black Moon might catch you before you can get it to your mother. If we go along, we can at least protect you until then." She looked around the room. "Is everyone okay with that?"

"Well, you do have a point, Usagi-chan," Makoto said uncertainly. "But is that possible?"

"I...I don't know..." ChibiUsa answered. "I've only used the key once."

"It won't hurt to try," Usagi said confidently. The others nodded their agreement one by one, until only Luna was left.

"Have you thought this through, Usagi-chan?" she asked seriously. Usagi nodded. "Alright...let's try it tomorrow, then. And let's hope everything goes well."

* * *

Meanwhile, aboard the crystal vessel of the Black Moon, the three members of the Black Moon clan stood before the ship's core. Floating above the black crystal was the image of cloaked man whose claw-like hands grasped an iridescent orb. Its face was hidden in darkness, but the rasping voice did not sound pleased. 

"This is troubling," it said in a low tone. "The Rabbit is but a seven-year-old child. How is it that you, one of the top warriors of our Black Moon clan, have failed to capture her?"

"There has been unforeseen interference, Wiseman," Rubeus replied stiffly. "The Sailor Senshi are active in this time period, and they seem to have taken the Rabbit under their care. If you could just give me more time..."

"The Sailor Senshi..." the cloaked figure rasped. "They who hold the Illusion Silver Crystal of the past...Oniko, you were to retrieve the Crystal, were you not?"

"I had Sailor Moon in the palm of my hand," Oniko said. "She is little threat to us, despite what our **great** Rubeus might say. If her allies had not interfered..."

"I do not wish to hear excuses," the Wiseman interrupted her. "What matters is that you have neither the Crystal nor the Rabbit. Our forces in the future are at a stalemate, and delay is not to our advantage." He turned to the last warrior. "And what of your mission, Sin?"

The blonde girl kept her eyes averted from the cloaked image. "I...I have taken three of the crystal points, as you've commanded. I will have the remaining two shortly."

"Unless you're busy playing with your new little school friends..." Oniko muttered derisively. Sin cast a dark look in the woman's direction, but kept silent.

"I do not care what you wish to do with your time, Sin," the Wiseman said. "You have chosen this mission of your own will, and your failure is of little consequence to the rest of us. Though given the progress of your...companions...you might yet win your brother's freedom." He paused. "That shall be all; I expect results the next time I contact you."

The image faded, and the low hum of the ship's crystal reasserted itself over the room. Sin ignored the glares she felt coming from Rubeus and Oniko and headed back to her room. Once there, she let out a shuddering breath and sank down on her bed.

She still couldn't be sure whether the Wiseman was telling the truth about her mission, and now it was entirely possible that Oniko or Rubeus would attempt to sabotage her efforts. 'But I won't lose to them,' she thought. 'If I can complete my mission before them, then I can get you back, Anshar... That's all that matters. Even if...'

She shook her head, refusing to complete the thought. There was no point in doubting now. She had lost her friends and the prince's trust, and all she had left was her brother. And that's all she would need...

* * *

TUESDAY 

It was early in the evening, though the summer sun was still visible in the sky. A warm wind blew across the lake, creating small waves that lapped at the shore with quiet murmurs. The girls and Mamoru were gathered on the dock where ChibiUsa had first appeared, while Luna and Artemis watched from the shore.

"Are you ready, ChibiUsa?" Usagi asked.

The little girl nodded a bit nervously, her uncertainty about using the time key mixed with anticipation at seeing, and maybe even saving, her Mama. Usagi nodded to the others, and as one they called on their transformations.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER"  
"MERCURY STAR POWER"  
"MARS STAR POWER"  
"JUPITER STAR POWER"  
"VENUS STAR POWER"  
"MAKE UP!"

With the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen behind her, ChibiUsa took out the time key and raised it above her head. "Key of Space-Time! Take us back to the future!"

A sudden wind rose and blew across the lake, but then died down to nothing. ChibiUsa stared at the key in disbelief, and raised it again. "Key of Space-Time!" she cried desperately. "Take us to the future!"

A stronger wind appeared this time, swirling around the dock and churning the waters of the lake. The sky darkened, and above the group, it seemed to split open like a shadowy portal. The wind rushed upwards into the rift, and the Senshi felt themselves drawn to it as well by an invisible force.

And then it stopped, and the lake was calm once more.

"No... why isn't it working?" ChibiUsa cried. 'I was finally going to see Mama again...'

"ChibiUsa..." Sailor Moon tried to speak.

"No! Why won't it work? Why won't it let me go home!?" The last part came out as a scream, and then energy suddenly erupted around the little girl, knocking the Senshi back. The beam of intense light shone for several seconds before vanishing...revealing Rubeus floating in the air in front of the dock.

"We meet again, Rabbit," he said, eyes flashing. "I will not allow you to escape this time."

"ChibiUsa!" Sailor Moon shouted. The pink-haired girl was once again frozen before the Black Moon warrior.

"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE"  
"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"

The two attacks struck the red-haired man, and Tuxedo Kamen took the opportunity to dash forward and scoop up ChibiUsa in his arms. As he turned to head back, however, an energy cluster hit him in the back, knocking him down on one knee. The vapors of the Senshi's attacks dispersed, and Rubeus landed on the dock, completely unharmed.

"What!?" Artemis exclaimed. At the same time, Mars and Venus ran forward and grabbed hold of Tuxedo Kamen, pulling him and ChibiUsa back to safety.

"There's some kind of forcefield surrounding him," Mercury told the others. "It's too strong for any of our attacks to penetrate."

"You are quite correct, Sailor Mercury," Rubeus said with a smirk. Above the water, the clouds parted as a huge, shadowy form descended from the sky. "Behold my power, Sailor Senshi!" he roared. "I will make you regret standing in the way of Crimson Rubeus!"

"We'll see about that," Venus said defiantly. She whispered something to Sailor Moon, and the two of them primed their attacks.

"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN"  
"MOON TIARA ACTION!"

The golden chain and disc flew out in two directions around the dock to strike Rubeus from both sides, but both were deflected by the shield.

"Nice try," Rubeus said sarcastically. He swung his arm in a wide arc, releasing several brilliant sparks that sent Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter flying.

"Guys!" Sailor Moon cried out. She turned to Rubeus, who had started to advance towards them, his shield shimmering faintly. Desperately, she crossed her arms before her.

"MOON STARDUST FLASH!"

Rubeus paused warily, but nothing happened. Dumbfounded, Sailor Moon stared down at her arms. "What...?"

"Trying to scare me, little girl?" Rubeus sneered. He resumed his advance, when suddenly several rings of fire impacted on the dock at his feet, setting the wooden structure ablaze. The red-haired warrior gave out a startled yell as he quickly took to the air.

"We have to retreat, Sailor Moon!" Luna said, running to her. The others had also recovered somewhat, and were standing ready behind her.

"You're not going **anywhere**, brats!" Rubeus snarled. "I've had just about enough of you Sailor Senshi. Time for all of you to die!"

A flash of light blinded all of them as a visible current of power flowed from the ship to Rubeus. It gathered in a sphere in his open palms, growing larger and larger.

Mercury glanced up worriedly at the others from her computer. Mars and Jupiter nodded, reading her thoughts exactly. They reached between them and shoved Sailor Moon back towards Tuxedo Kamen and ChibiUsa.

"What are you doing!?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"Take ChibiUsa-chan and get out of here!" Mars yelled back. "We'll hold him as long as we can!"

"No! I won't leave you guys behind!"

"He's too powerful, Sailor Moon!" Venus protested. "You have to get ChibiUsa-chan away from here!"

"Yeah, you said you'd do anything to protect her, right?" Jupiter added. "So move it!"

Sailor Moon stared at her friends uncertainly, as Rubeus' power continued to build. Still holding ChibiUsa, Tuxedo Kamen took her arm and started pulling her away, followed closely by the two cats. The Black Moon warrior bellowed angrily and unleashed a wide beam of energy at them.

"SAILOR PLANET POWER!"

The Senshi drew upon their planetary energies to block the attack, forming a barrier that stopped the beam cold. The five warriors contended fiercely with each other, but all too soon the Senshi began to weaken. Rubeus smiled. Without Sailor Moon, they never even stood a chance against him. Grinning, he intensified his power.

From an alley a few blocks away, Sailor Moon watched in horror as a large explosion illuminated the evening sky. She collapsed onto her knees. Behind her, Tuxedo Kamen, ChibiUsa, and the cats all stopped, staring speechlessly at the distant light.

"No..." Sailor Moon whispered. Her tears began to fall, as she curled up in despair.

* * *

"Hello?" 

"Mamoru? It's Athan. Did you hear that message just now?"

"Yeah, I did. Usako and ChibiUsa are here at my apartment right now. You guys should probably come over."

"Right."

There was a click, and Mamoru hung up the phone before returning to his bedroom. The two girls were curled up together on his bed, Usagi having cried herself to sleep and ChibiUsa being just plain tired. He suppressed a yawn as he sat down; he wasn't in much better condition himself.

"Until midnight, huh?" Artemis said quietly from where he had been curled up on the floor. Luna was outside on the balcony, busy with her own thoughts.

"Yeah," Mamoru replied. "Rubeus doesn't seem to be bluffing...but when Usako finds out..."

Artemis nodded, both of them knowing how the blonde will react to her friends being held hostage. But there was little they could do now save rest and regain their focus. Soon, perhaps, none of them will have that luxury.

* * *

Slowly, her eyes opened. The first thing that registered in her still groggy mind was the throbbing pain in her head. Then came the duller aches in her wrists, the sensation of something hard against her back, and a slight moaning to her left. 

She opened her eyes further. It was a painful task even in the dim light of the crystal-filled chamber. Slowly turning to avoid a worsening headache, she noted that the room was large and sparsely furnished. A large black crystal stood in the center, surrounded by a few scattered consoles, and numerous mirrors lined one of the walls. Around her, her fellow Senshi were hanging from crystal crosses, as she herself undoubtedly was.

'So, we're still alive,' she mused. 'But for how long?' She shook her head. 'I guess it doesn't matter now. Sailor Moon's safe, that's all that's important...'

Her thoughts were interrupted by voices in the room. Turning her head, she saw Rubeus standing with someone near one of the doors. She couldn't make out who it was due to the shadows and her own blurred vision, only that the person had long hair tied in pigtails.

"...really necessary?" the person was saying in a distinctly female voice.

"I don't see why not," Rubeus replied. "It would certainly be greater incentive for Sailor Moon to take the bait."

"But you already sent your message! There's no need to keep them up there."

"Mind your own business, Sin," Rubeus retorted. "I don't need to listen to a traitor like you." He sneered. "Why don't you go back to your room and figure out how to beg the Wiseman for your brother's life? You've obviously lost to me, after all."

The shadowed figure said nothing in reply, and disappeared through the doors. Rubeus glowered after her for a moment, then came back to the center of the room. Noticing one of his captives awake, he smirked and moved closer. "Had fun listening in on us, little Senshi?" he asked mockingly.

"...You won't win, Rubeus." Her throat felt parched, but her voice was steady.

"And why not? I know how your type thinks. Sailor Moon, foolish as she is, will come and throw away her life to save her friends, and I will have the Crystal. And without you five, the Rabbit will be easy prey. You might as well admit defeat."

She smiled, baffling the red-haired man. True, she had hoped for a moment that Sailor Moon would stay away. But if she did, she wouldn't be Sailor Moon, would she?

"What are you smiling at?" Rubeus demanded, glaring up at her.

"You're right, Rubeus. She will come." Her voice was calm and confident, such a contrast to her bedraggled state that it further unnerved him. "And she will defeat you."

* * *

Usagi leaned out over the balcony, staring blankly at the moon. It was past ten at night, and the city around them was quiet. Faint voices drifted out from the apartment behind her as Mamoru spoke with Jadeite,  
Athan, and Ryo. 

"Usagi-chan?" Luna hopped up onto the railing and peered at her charge's face. "Are you alright?"

"Luna...why did this have to happen?" Usagi asked in a small voice. "Everything was going so well up till now...we beat back their attacks, ChibiUsa told us the truth, Mamo-chan's getting his own powers back...and now..."

"Just because we're doing well doesn't mean the enemy won't get stronger, Usagi-chan," Luna told her. "You've all gotten much better at fighting, but that's no excuse for being complacent." She sighed. "Not that this isn't partly my fault, too. I should have argued against going so soon."

"But we promised ChibiUsa..." Usagi started to object, but Luna shook her head.

"I know you care a lot about her, Usagi-chan, but you can't make decisions just based on her feelings. It's natural that she would want to go back home, but **you** are still leader of the Senshi, and you have to do what's best, even if it means disappointing her. She'll understand, given time."

Usagi considered the cat's words in subdued silence. The balcony was dark; the light from the apartment didn't quite reach the blonde, leaving her illuminated only by the rising moon in the sky.

"I...I guess you're right, Luna," she said finally. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Luna replied gently. "You're still young. Right now, you have to concentrate on rescuing the girls."

"Can I do that?"

"Did you want someone else to?"

Usagi looked sharply at Luna, then smiled and shook her head. As the black cat prepared to head back inside, however, she reached out quickly and grabbed her, holding her close to her chest.

"Usagi-chan?" Luna said inquiringly.

"Thank you, Luna," Usagi whispered, the simple words filled with deep emotion. The two looked at each other fondly for a moment, until the glass door opened and Mamoru stepped out. His expression showed his concern for Usagi, though that lessened a little at the smile on her face.

"Usako?"

"I'll be okay, Mamo-chan," she reassured him.

"Any plans?" Luna asked. Mamoru shook his head.

"Not really," he said somberly. "There isn't much we can do with this kind of time limit." He looked around. "Where's ChibiUsa? She said she was coming to see you."

Usagi blinked. "I haven't seen her..." Her words trailed off, as the three of them exchanged rapidly darkening glances. "Oh no..."

* * *

ChibiUsa cautiously approached the burnt out docks, looking around for any signs of life. The path was adequately lit by streetlights, but beyond the docks the lake was shrouded in darkness. A cricket chirped somewhere nearby, and there seemed to be a low-pitched hum coming from the area, like the engines of a ship...or was that her imagination? 

'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,' she thought, clutching Luna-P tightly. 'If the girls couldn't beat him, then what can I do? But...but this is my fault...I wasn't strong enough, I couldn't make the key work. I have to do something! Even Usagi's doing her best, I can't let her beat me! Mama...'

"ChibiUsa!"

"AAAAAAAAAAHH!" The little girl shrieked and swung Luna-P around, smacking Sailor Moon right in the face. The blonde collapsed onto the ground, twitching.

"You little spore!" Sailor Moon shouted angrily. "What was that for!?"

"What are you talking about?" ChibiUsa retorted. "You're the one who snuck up on me, Baka-Usagi!"

"Don't you call me stupid, I'm not the one who ran off without telling anyone!"

"I..."

ChibiUsa's reply was cut short as the two of them suddenly found themselves within a beam of light coming from Rubeus' ship. Sailor Moon quickly moved over to hold ChibiUsa, even as they were lifted upwards toward the sky. There was a shout from below them, and she saw a black form rush towards the beam and jump. It caught the two of them in its arms just as the light became blindingly white, erasing everything from sight.

On a nearby rooftop, Oniko watched with calculating eyes as the rest of Sailor Moon's allies arrived and stared helplessly up at the crystal ship. A sly smile appeared on her face, and with a swirl of her cape, she vanished into darkness.

* * *

"I see you didn't pay attention to my terms, Sailor Moon." 

The blonde girl shook her head, still a bit dizzy. Being pulled through the hull of a spaceship does that to people. She looked up and saw Rubeus floating in front of her. Tuxedo Kamen stood between them, and she still had ChibiUsa in her arms.

"I told you to only bring the Rabbit," Rubeus continued. "Now I guess your friends will have to pay..."

"WAIT!" Sailor Moon put the little girl down and stepped up next to her protector. She gasped in shock when she saw where her friends were.

Rubeus smirked. "Enjoy the scenery?"

She didn't hear him. She stood transfixed, staring in horror at her fellow Senshi hanging by their arms on the crystal crosses. How long had he left them there? Did he hurt them? They looked so lifeless... She turned furious eyes on Rubeus, blinking away her tears. "You monster...I won't ever forgive you!"

"You're in no position to say that, little girl," Rubeus replied. "Now hand over the Crystal and the Rabbit, and I'll let you and your friends go."

"You're lying, Rubeus," Tuxedo Kamen stated flatly.

"...So what if I am? What can you do to me in my own ship?" The red-haired man snarled and hurled an energy cluster at Tuxedo Kamen, who leapt above it and grabbed onto Rubeus. The two of them fell to the floor, locked in close combat, with Rubeus trying futilely to blast his opponent.

Meanwhile, Sailor Moon skirted around the struggling pair with ChibiUsa behind her. They reached the crosses without interference; apparently, Rubeus had chosen to face her alone.

"Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, can you hear me?" she called out. "Are you okay?"

No response. She bit her lip and powered up her tiara, aiming it carefully. The glowing disc slashed across the shackles holding Sailor Venus, cracking them. A second shot freed the Senshi of Love, who fell into Sailor Moon's waiting arms.

"Venus, are you alright?" Sailor Moon asked. The other girl moaned and opened her eyes.

"Sailor Moon...? What...what are you doing here?" She tried to stand, then gasped. "What's ChibiUsa-chan doing here!?"

"We don't have time to explain. Help me get the others."

Venus hesitated briefly, then nodded. The two of them went to work on the other crosses, and soon had their friends back on the ground and conscious.

"Are they alright?" ChibiUsa asked anxiously.

"I hope so," Sailor Moon replied. "I don't think..."

Her sentence was cut short when Venus suddenly tackled her, sending her sprawling backwards. A second later the Senshi of Love was hit by an energy blast and hurled against one of the crosses.

"Venus!" Jupiter cried. They all turned back towards the center of the room. Tuxedo Kamen was standing against one of the walls, clutching his side, while a grinning Rubeus was once again hovering above them.

"You should be paying more attention, Sailor Moon," he sneered. He raised his arm, and streams of energy began to flow to him from the black crystal below. Then, with a sharp yell, he released it all in a massive blast directed at the Sailor Senshi and ChibiUsa.

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

The attacks collided, forcing a pained whimper from Sailor Moon and nearly knocking her to the ground. Nevertheless, she managed to brace herself against one of the crosses and concentrate on repelling the vast amount of energy being thrown at them. The strain was enormous, however, and soon she could feel pain lancing through her entire body. She gritted her teeth and held on, even as Rubeus' smile grew wider.

And then she felt a pair of strong arms entwine with her own, and a surge of energy flowed into her from the warm, steady presence behind her that could only be one person.

'Mamo-chan...' She turned slightly to throw him a grateful look, and he gave her a tense but encouraging smile. For a moment, she thought she could hear his voice telling her to hold on, though his lips hadn't moved. And then another wave of energy poured into her, as four gloved hands joined theirs.

"SAILOR PLANET POWER!"

The combined powers of the Senshi pushed back Rubeus' attack slightly, but the Black Moon warrior was unfazed. Sailor Moon could sense it as well; her friends were still weak from their ordeal, and their strength wouldn't last long. She desperately wracked her brain for a way to even the odds somehow...and that's when she saw the pink-haired figure making its way around to the center of the room.

"ChibiUsa!"

ChibiUsa ignored her and made a grab for the crystal, but pulled back with a small yelp when it shocked her on contact. Her face screwed up in determination, she tried again. This time, just as she touched the crystal, her moonbeam suddenly erupted from her body and enveloped the black crystal. The intruding energy disrupted the crystal's power, and Rubeus cried out in pain as the backlash hit him. His attack faltered, allowing Sailor Moon's to strike him and slam him against the wall.

"Take that, creep!" Mars crowed triumphantly. However, before anyone could do anything else, a swirl of darkness formed above the black crystal, and a surge of energy sent everyone sprawling.

"My, my, how easily you fall..."

They looked up and saw Oniko appear next to the crystal, smiling coldly. She reached out with one gloved hand and lightly typed something on the main console. The black crystal flared again, knocking everyone else half-unconscious, then shattered into a thousand shards.

"Wh...what are you doing!?" Rubeus demanded incredulously.

"Fulfilling my mission, of course," Oniko answered. "With Sailor Moon dead now, victory will certainly be ours. We don't even need the Silver Crystal. Now, if you'll excuse me..." She laughed and disappeared as with an ominous rumble, the ship began to fall.

* * *

Outside on the docks, Athan, Jadeite, Ryo, and the cats watched in growing alarm as the crystal ship descended through the clouds, small explosions piercing its hull. 

"Usagi-chan..." Luna whispered.

"They can teleport away from there, right?" Ryo asked hopefully. Athan nodded, but said nothing.

They watched for a little longer, when suddenly the entire ship exploded in a brilliant burst of fire. The blast was deafening even at that distance, and pieces of wreckage flew in all directions. The five of them stared in shock at the disintegrating vessel.

"Wh...where do you think they teleported to?" Ryo asked. "The shrine?"

"I'm not sure..." Artemis admitted uncertainly.

"I can't feel them anymore," Jadeite said grimly.

Luna gave him a sharp look. "What?"

"I can't sense the Prince anymore," he elaborated. "Kunzite and Zoisite, too. Since we came back from D-Point, we can usually feel each other's presence, but now..."

"You can't be serious," Ryo protested. "Maybe it's interference from the explosion, or..."

"Shut up, dammit!" Jadeite snapped. He took one more look at the falling wreckage, then stalked away, swearing darkly to himself. Ryo and the cats stared after him, speechless.

"He'll cool down in a while," Athan said. "Just let him be."

Luna glared at him. "And why are **you** so calm about this?"

"Because they're alive," the dark-haired man answered without hesitation.

"How do you know that?" Artemis asked him.

"Trust me," Athan replied enigmatically. He then walked off as well, fading easily into the night.

"...I hope he's right," Luna said softly. Artemis gave her a startled look, but the black cat had already turned away. Sensing her mood, he remained silent and sat next to her, absently noting that Ryo had left as well. The two guardians looked over the lake at the smoldering remains of Rubeus' ship, quietly holding on to the glimmer of hope in their hearts.

* * *

Elsewhere, four people were gathered in a large, windowless room, surrounding a large, jagged black crystal resting in its center. There were two men, one in white and the other in blue, a woman in green, and a figure cowled in flowing purple robes. 

"So, Rubeus is dead," the man in white said dispassionately.

"It seems his ship's core went out of control," the one in blue reported, "most likely due to the battle against the Senshi. But what I'm concerned about is the signal we're receiving from the crystal. Something has entered the time stream without using the power of the Black Crystal..."

"It is the ones we seek," the cowled figure intoned. "The Silver Crystal... With its power added to the Black Crystal, we of the Black Moon shall become invincible, and the shield will fall before us."

The white-garbed man's gaze grew more intense. "And then she will finally be within my reach..." he said softly to himself. The woman's eyes hardened with hatred at those words, while the man in blue frowned. He ignored them both, however, as he stared at the images within the crystal. "Esmeraude," he said after a moment, "bring me the Rabbit and the Silver Crystal."

"Yes, Demande-sama."

To be continued...


	5. Ch5: Lull in the Storm

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: Chapter five, up and away!

* * *

**Through Storm-Cloud Eyes**

Part 5: Lull in the Storm

by JG Chan

_The little girl heaved with all her might, pushing the motionless body of her mother off of herself. Her face and clothes were dirty, her back stained with drying blood. Standing up on unsteady legs, she looked at her surroundings with glazed eyes. The screams and shouts from earlier had died down somewhat, and there was no movement in sight. Scattered about the field were broken tents, overturned wagons, discarded equipment, and dead bodies. A faint red haze hung over the place, as if the bloody souls of the fallen had lingered behind to contemplate their remains._

_A wail broke the silence, insistently alive, and the little girl seemed to come out of her daze. Turning back, she knelt and picked up the squirming bundle of cloth that was her baby brother. He was probably hungry again. So was she. But the food here..._

_A shadow fell across her, and she looked up, wondering when the person had gotten there. It was a woman, tall-seeming to the little girl, with long, fine golden hair that hung to the ground in twin tresses. Her white gown, though slightly soiled from walking through the battlefield, seemed very much out of place where they were. The sun was high behind her, and so the little girl was unable to see her face._

_For some time the woman did not say anything, though her expression remained hidden. Then, suddenly, she gasped as if in recognition, and knelt down to enfold the two children in her arms._

_"It's you..." she breathed softly, her voice catching with emotion. The little girl didn't respond save to shift to a more comfortable hold on the baby._

_"I can't do this to her," the woman continued brokenly. "I just can't!" The little girl could feel the tears dripping onto her back, just about where her mother's blood was._

_"You change what happens now, and you'll risk everything," a deep male voice said. "Can you do that?"_

_"I...I can...I must." The woman's voice firmed up in quiet conviction. "I won't be able to live with myself if I don't try."_

_"I suppose so..." the man agreed sadly after a pause._

_The woman pulled back a little, her face coming into sight, and the little girl's eyes were drawn inexorably to her own, whose sky blue depths showed both warmth and sadness._

_"We're going to take you to a good family, little one," she said gently. "They'll care for you and your little brother, I promise. In return, I ask only that you love your brother, and never do anything that will make him sad. Can you do that?"_

_The little girl nodded obediently, snuggling against the woman when she picked them up. She was warm, and smelled good, and soon the little girl dozed off into a dreamless sleep, the trauma of the past days fading into the back of her young mind..._

* * *

Sin raced for the control room as the entire ship shook around her, the rumble of explosions becoming louder and louder. She had chosen to stay out of the fight, not wanting to see Rubeus use Sailor Moon's friends against her, but it was obvious that something was seriously wrong. 'What in the world did Rubeus do now?' she wondered as she reached the control room doors. 

The first thing she noticed was the roaring blaze at the center of the room, where the black crystal core used to rest. The computer consoles and most of the mirrors were destroyed, and one of the empty crosses lay broken in half. Across the room, a weakened Rubeus was doing battle with Sailor Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen. Sin moved around the flames towards them...and came face-to-face with Sailor Moon.

"Wh...Nana-chan!?" Sailor Moon exclaimed in surprise.

"Hunh?" Sin backed away, looking confused. 'No one calls me that...except...' "Usagi-chan!?"

Sailor Moon gasped and covered her mouth. The two of them stared at each other in shock for a moment, then a burst of flame forced Sin to backflip out of the way. Mars and Mercury moved to Sailor Moon's side, poised to fight despite their still-drained state.

"Mars?" Sailor Moon said questioningly.

"I don't know how she knows you," Mars replied grimly, "but she's the one who tried to plant that crystal at the shrine."

"But..." Sailor Moon started to object, when Mercury suddenly pushed her and Mars back. A beam of energy shot past them as Rubeus' sneak attack barely missed its mark. The desperate attempt having left him wide open, he was quickly floored by Jupiter's fist in his face. Just then, the ship shook violently, and the sound of tearing metal invaded the room.

"What's going on?" ChibiUsa asked fearfully from where she was crouched with Sailor Venus.

"The core's gone," Sin said grimly. "Without it, the ship's going to fall apart." She gave Sailor Moon a lingering glance, then turned away as if resigned. "You'd all better go too, if you want to live," she said over her shoulder, before jumping into the air and vanishing.

"Nana-chan!" Sailor Moon called after her.

"She's right, Sailor Moon," Mercury said, as Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen rejoined them. "We have to leave here, but..." Her words trailed off unneeded, as the Senshi looked at each other helplessly; they were too weak to teleport.

"But what?" ChibiUsa asked, not realizing what was going on. Sailor Moon dropped to her knees and hugged the child to her tightly.

"I'm sorry, ChibiUsa," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry..."

The pink-haired girl looked confused at first, and then her red eyes widened as realization dawned on her. 'We can't get away...everyone will die...and all because of...' "NO!" she yelled, pulling away from Sailor Moon. "I won't let anyone die, Usagi! I won't!"

Her hand reached for the Key of Space-Time, and as she raised it, her eyes met Sailor Moon's. Something clicked inside her mind then, and she looked up at the Key, words coming unbidden to her mouth.

"Time Guardian! Part before me the river of time and bring me to the forbidden gate! I call the true name of the guardian guide of eternity! Hades! Reveal to me the path of light!"

A blinding vortex opened above them, and the air began to swirl into a roaring gale, making the flames in the room dance wildly. Still holding onto the key, ChibiUsa began to rise towards the light, and the others soon followed, disappearing one by one. With a final rush of wind, the vortex closed, leaving the crystal ship to meet its fiery end above the lake.

* * *

Sailor Moon looked out over the vague grey expanse around her. For a moment, she was reminded of that time Akumude had trapped her in its spell. There was nothing to see in any direction...and she was alone, as well. 

"ChibiUsa! Tuxedo Kamen-sama! Anyone?" she called out into the mist, but no one answered. Worried, she picked a direction and started walking. 'Did ChibiUsa's key work?' she wondered. 'But where is she? Where is everyone?'

A dark form appeared in the greyness before her, and she headed towards it, relieved at finding something more than mist. As she approached, the shape became more distinct; it looked like a small building of some kind, ornately carved and with a massive door dominating its front. Sailor Moon quickened her pace, but then stopped when she saw something move in front of the door.

"Who's there?" she called out.

There was no immediate answer, but the mist began to thin, and soon Sailor Moon could make out the lone figure standing before the doors. She was a woman, tall and beautiful, with long, lustrous green hair so dark it was nearly black. In her hands was a long silver rod, lined with protrusions that made it look like a large key, and topped with a small red orb. But what drew Sailor Moon's attention the most was her clothing: the white bodysuit, the short black skirt, the ribbons, the gloves... There was no mistaking that she was a Sailor Senshi, but how could that be?

"I have been expecting you, Sailor Moon," the woman said.

"Who..."

"Puu!"

ChibiUsa raced past Sailor Moon and flung herself at the woman, who caught her and gently lowered her back down.

"I'm glad you're safe, Small Lady," she said calmly.

"I...Puu, I'm sorry," the little girl replied contritely. "I know I wasn't supposed to bring people here, but..." She was interrupted as the tall woman put a soothing hand on her head, patting it gently.

"You did what was necessary, Small Lady. I'm very proud of you." She smiled affectionately down at the little girl, who smiled back happily. Then the tall woman looked up at Sailor Moon and her friends, who had all arrived in the meantime.

"You're a Sailor Senshi too, aren't you?" Sailor Moon asked.

"I am Sailor Pluto," the woman introduced herself, "Guardian of the Door of Space-Time...but you needn't concern yourself with me just yet." She turned slightly to the side, drawing their attention to the large portal behind her with a wave of her staff. "Through this door lies the Corridor of Time, which will bring you to Small Lady's home in the far future. But passage through it is difficult and dangerous. Are you prepared to go through with this?"

Sailor Moon gazed at the massive door for a moment, then looked at each of her friends in turn, receiving a confirming nod from each. Finally, her eyes fell upon Tuxedo Kamen, who smiled reassuringly at her and came forward. Kneeling down, he held out a hand towards ChibiUsa, who came over and took it. Smiling, Sailor Moon looked back up at Sailor Pluto.

"We're ready," she said.

The green-haired woman wordlessly raised her staff, then brought it down in a elegant, convoluted arc. The red orb at the top began to glow as the staff moved, and there was an answering glow from the door's keyhole. Then Sailor Pluto's motion ended, and the doors slid open without a sound. Beyond them, they could see nothing save a soft blue light.

"Will you come with us?" Mercury asked Pluto as they gathered before the portal. The taller woman shook her head.

"I must remain here," she said simply. "Please, all of you, protect Small Lady."

The Senshi nodded, and all of them joined hands, with ChibiUsa between Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. Last glances were exchanged, and then they all stepped through the door and into the light.

Sailor Pluto watched them disappear into the distance, a complex mask of emotions briefly showing on her face before it once again became inscrutable. As the door closed silently, she waved her staff again, and the air shimmered slightly. An image appeared, showing a dark-haired man leaning against the railing atop a building, watching the cityscape below, a single lock of silver seeming to glow in the moonlight. Said man turned around almost immediately, as if sensing the intrusion.

"Athan." Pluto's greeting was simple.

"...Persephona," Athan replied a moment later, nodding. Pluto smiled ironically at the archaic title.

"You remember."

"I suppose so. Does this mean they've found the Door?"

"They're on their way to Small Lady's time as we speak." She paused. "I assume you are ready to cover their absence?"

One of his eyebrows rose inquiringly. "Yes...though it seems unlike you to be this direct."

"I know what I'm doing," Pluto responded, unruffled.

"Of course," Athan nodded, turning to head towards the stairs. "Be well, Persephona," he said quietly in parting. "And thank you."

* * *

WEDNESDAY 

Sin plodded along the school's hallway, brooding as she often did and ignoring the other kids heading to their lockers. It was strangely ironic, she thought to herself. All she had wanted when she came to this school was to spend some time as a normal person, to distract herself from her near-constant worries, and somehow she'd been befriended by Sailor Moon, of all people. She wondered briefly what she'd have done if she had found out sooner. 'Would I have told the Wiseman about it, in exchange for Anshar? **Could** I have done it? Usagi-chan's been so nice to me...but Anshar...'

She looked up to get her bearings, and caught sight of a redhead speaking with the class geek at the window ahead. After a brief debate with herself, she put on a polite smile and went over to them.

"Osaka-san, Umino-san, do you have a moment?"

Naru turned around. "Oh, Enzu-san. What's the matter?"

"Do you know where Usagi-chan is today? I noticed her seat was empty."

"Oh, I know!" Umino cut in, eager to spread the news. "Usagi-san, Mizuno-san, and Kino-san were picked for a special science project run by the National Observatory. It's a new program they're trying out with a lot of middle schools in Tokyo."

Sin blinked in surprise. "Really? I never heard anything about that."

"They aren't announcing it until they test it first," Umino explained, nodding sagely. "They contacted the chosen students through the teachers. Of course, I knew about it as soon as it happened, and..."

Naru rolled her eyes. "That's probably enough, Umino." She smiled at Sin. "Was there something you wanted to talk to her about?"

"Oh, it's nothing," the blonde girl replied. "I was just curious, that's all." She waved at the two as she headed towards the front entrance. "See you tomorrow!"

Once she was alone again, Sin's thoughts returned to Sailor Moon. That 'project' was too convenient to be a coincidence...yet Usagi couldn't possibly have worked out a cover story this thorough. Did that mean the Senshi were alive and trying to surprise them? Or did their allies set up the cover as a precaution, without knowing their fate?

She reached her shoe locker and paused there for a moment. She couldn't shake the feeling that she would meet Sailor Moon again...and if the legendary protector of old Tokyo was alive, then Oniko hadn't won yet. She felt her heart beat faster with rekindled hope. 'Anshar...I still have a chance...'

* * *

"It looks like the winds are weaker here," Mercury observed, looking around the jumble of broken pillars where they stood. They were made of the same translucent material as the rest of the Corridor. "How about we rest for a moment?" she suggested. 

"Finally!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, plopping down wearily on a loose block. "I'm exhausted."

"No kidding," Jupiter agreed. "Those winds out there are insane."

"Was it the same way when you first passed through here, ChibiUsa-chan?" Venus asked, leaning against a pillar.

The little girl shook her head. "It was a lot shorter."

"I was wondering, Sailor Moon," Mars said suddenly. "How is it that that girl knew who you were?"

Sailor Moon cringed a little at the question, as everyone turned to look at her. Then she sighed, and told them how she had met 'Nana-chan' the week before.

"...You mean you've had the enemy right next to you for a week and you didn't know?" Mars asked incredulously. "**And** you've invited her to your house?" Sailor Moon looked a little stricken at that, but didn't say anything.

"Oh, give her a break, Mars," Jupiter said placatingly. "I've talked to the girl, too, and she seemed completely normal. We never had any reason to suspect her."

"The hair should have given it away," the Senshi of Flame insisted.

"Calm down, Mars," Tuxedo Kamen interceded firmly, wrapping one arm around his love. "What's done is done now, and we aren't going to get anywhere arguing about it."

"But still..."

"We know you just want Sailor Moon to be careful, Mars," Venus said gently. "But would you really feel better if she started suspecting everyone she met?"

That gave Sailor Mars pause, and her eyes sought Sailor Moon's. For a while the two of them didn't say anything; the miko's eyes held determination, worry, and a trace of guilt, while Sailor Moon's showed understanding and a growing sense of confidence. Finally, Mars looked down awkwardly.

"Sorry," she said simply. The blonde shook her head and rose, taking her friend's hand and giving her a small smile. The others all smiled as well.

"Well, now that we've rested, we should..." Mercury began, but paused suddenly. "Do you guys hear something?"

The others strained their ears to listen. At first nothing seemed to be there save for the howl of the wind, but slowly, faint words started to become audible. It seemed to be a deep, male voice, and it was...singing!?

"...wolf, out of darkness...heaven's veil; Mundilfari's child, shining golden, devoured at battle's break..."

"What kind of song is that?" Jupiter wondered. The others didn't reply, as perplexed as she was about what they were hearing.

Soon enough, the source of the song came into view. To their surprise, it was an old man, wearing a worn, drab outfit under a rather heavy cloak. His short hair was greyish, verging on being all white, as was his mustache and beard. In short, he looked like a traveller right out of Middle Ages Europe.

Noticing the Senshi staring at him in shock, the man waved and started moving towards them. Though he held a long walking stick, he didn't seem impeded by the winds of the Corridor at all. His heavy leather boots crunched slightly on the debris as he reached the pillars and looked at the girls curiously.

"Well now," he said casually, "it's not everyday I meet so many people in here. How do you do?"

"Eh...?" was all he got by way of reply, as the girls and Tuxedo Kamen were still trying to figure out what was going on. After a moment, ChibiUsa snapped out of her daze, and edged closer to Sailor Moon.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Puu said no one was supposed to be in here!"

"Yes, I know that," the old man answered patiently. "That's why I was surprised to see you." Then he eyed the girls critically. "Hmm...aren't those skirts rather...indecent?"

"WHAT!?" Mars exploded, while Sailor Moon, Mercury and Jupiter blushed and shrank back a little. Venus simply quirked an eyebrow at the stranger.

"Come on, Mars," she said, taking the angry Senshi's arm. "Let's just ignore the crazy old man and keep going. We shouldn't waste too much time here."

"Crazy?" the old man spluttered indignantly. "The nerve of you! First that insane laughing woman calls me senile, and now this! What's wrong with young people these days?" He started walking away, grumbling to himself.

"Wait!" Tuxedo Kamen called after him. "What woman?"

"The one with the black crescent, of course," he replied sourly. "She's over there somewhere." He gestured vaguely in the direction the Senshi had been heading towards, then shuddered and started moving again. "Gods, that laugh..."

The Senshi remained where they were, tense looks passing between them.

"The Black Moon...you think it's a trap?" Jupiter asked.

"Maybe we should go around," Sailor Moon suggested, looking at ChibiUsa.

"Perhaps, but that'd leave them behind us," Mercury disagreed. She smiled slightly. "A trap your enemy is aware of can be turned against you. I have a plan..."

* * *

Sin dropped onto the rooftop and looked down. She was above a pedestrian bridge crossing the wide street, deserted at this hour of the night. Not far from the bridge, a modest building housed the ice cream stand that was her next target. The moon was waxing full, and its light faintly illuminated the cityscape, just barely enough to see by. 

The Black Moon warrior leapt down next to the building and paused, her form-fitting black suit blending into the shadows. Satisfied that no one seemed to be around, she entered the stand, a black crystal spike appearing in her hand. Reaching the cold storage room at the back, she quickly headed for one of the corners...and then the door slammed shut, and the lights came on.

"Well well, looks like I picked the right place," a male voice said lightly. "It's about time I got in on the action."

Sin lowered her arm slightly. As her eyes adjusted to the sudden glare, she saw the blond man standing against the closed door. He was wearing a blue and green partially armoured military uniform and a nonchalant expression. His arms were crossed and his hands empty, but she knew better than to assume him unguarded. His dark blue eyes glinted with a mixture of wariness and anticipation.

"Who are you?" Sin asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Jadeite replied. "All you need to know is that I'm with the Sailor Senshi, and I'm not about to let you carry out your plans."

"Do you think you can stop me?" Sin countered coolly. "LAPIS SWIFTLET!"

A cluster of wing-shaped energy waves burst from her hand towards Jadeite. He jumped to the side, but the waves changed direction in mid-flight and continued on their unerring course. Narrowing his eyes, he raised his arm and formed a shield, blocking the attack. His crystal sword materialized in his other hand, and his gaze grew intent.

"Not too bad, girl," he said, and sprang into a charge while launching an energy ball at Sin's feet. The girl jumped to avoid the attack, and Jadeite met her in mid-air, his powerful slash barely missing her torso. The two landed near each other, and the Earth general took the opportunity to throw several quick slices at Sin, pushing her backwards. She responded by firing her homing attack behind him, forcing him to move away or be caught from two sides. Jadeite once again took the attack on his shield, landing in a ready position on one knee.

"Not so bad yourself," Sin admitted.

"Oh, you haven't seen the half of it," Jadeite replied grimly. "If anything had happened to the girls, you wouldn't still be standing right now."

"I see...they're alive then. I thought as much."

"How clever of you..." Jadeite sprang again, this time curving around to the side as he ran. Sin flipped backwards as he pounced on her with an overhead chop, and raised her arm to counterattack. At that moment, however, the spot on the ground he had been touching earlier exploded beneath her feet, throwing her off-balance. Her eyes widened as the blond general charged, and her left arm came up in a desperate attempt to block. With a sound of shattering glass, the black crystal spike fell to the ground in pieces. Sin stumbled back and rolled out of the way, despair creeping up on her; she didn't have enough crystals left to complete her mission.

"You won't be so lucky next time," Jadeite muttered, recovering his balance. Sin glared at him, then clasped her hands before her face.

"MORPHOS LAZUL!"

Jadeite paused as glowing blue butterflies surrounded the blonde girl, hiding her from view. As he prepared to attack, she leapt out of the swarm into the air, surrounded by wispy blue energy. One of her hands was sheathed in it, and aimed at Jadeite's heart. Unfazed, the general sent an energy blast towards her...and gaped as it shot through her body and exploded against the ceiling. As the image of ghostly energy dissipated, he turned and saw the door swinging open behind him.

"Tch...so much for that." Jadeite stood for a moment, glancing around as he got his breath back. Then he gathered up the crystal shards and headed to the shrine to meet Athan. They would have to get ready for the next move...

* * *

Esmeraude leaned againt a stone pillar, staring moodily along the Corridor of Time. Beside her, her three droids were keeping watch on the road for any signs of Sailor Moon and her friends, leaving her free to brood over her Prince's obsession. 

'So many years,' she thought bitterly. 'So many years since he'd seen her face, and still she haunts his mind. What had that witch done to him?'

She had thought that this time, she would have had a chance to kill the Neo Queen, and end her influence over her Prince. But now, with the stalemate, he seemed to be thinking of her more and more, tantalized by her presence just beyond that thin, ephemeral shield. Esmeraude hissed in anger just thinking of it. It might have been better if they had remained on Nemesis, where the Prince would not be reminded of her so often...but she knew that was a futile wish. Her Prince would never back down again.

Her thoughts turned to the other members of the Black Moon clan. Rubeus and Oniko had never worried over the Prince's obsession, so long as they got their revenge...and now Rubeus was dead, anyway. Saphir, on the other hand, often seemed troubled by it, though probably for different reasons. And then there was the Wiseman...she frowned. The old man was always ready to mention the Neo Queen, as if he wanted to be sure that the Prince would continue the attack. But for what purpose, no one seemed to know. Her eyes narrowed. It might be better if someone kept an eye on him, to be safe. If he was somehow using her Prince...

"Esmeraude-sama," one of her droids said.

The green-haired woman shook of her dark thoughts, and looked around the pillar. There were several forms approaching, moving slowly but steadily against the wind. She smiled. Just what she needed to vent her frustration. "Giwaku, get ready."

"Yes, Esmeraude-sama," the droid responded. She had purple skin and wore a skimpy black outfit with long gloves and boots. A pair of red antennae crowned her head, and these glowed briefly as the droid activated its power. All of a sudden, multiple copies of the droid appeared, and they all rushed out, surrounding their targets. Esmeraude and the other two droids followed, facing their prey.

Surrounded by Giwaku's clones, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen were holding themselves protectively over ChibiUsa, who was clutching something to her chest. Esmeraude smiled at her opponents' disadvantage, and stepped forward.

"Well, so you're Sailor Moon," she said mockingly. "I must say, I'm not impressed." She laughed, and everyone else cringed.

"Heh...aren't you going to introduce yourself before we thrash you and your peons?" Tuxedo Kamen taunted.

"Ha! You must be delusional to think that, boy," Esmeraude replied. "I am Green Esmeraude, most beautiful member of the Black Moon clan, servant to his Highness, Prince Demande!"

"Prince Demande?" Sailor Moon repeated.

"He is the great leader of the Black Moon, and soon he will triumph over the pitiful forces of Earth. But before that..." She pointed at ChibiUsa. "I will take you and the Silver Crystal to him!"

"Oh no you won't!" Sailor Moon retorted, taking her pose. "You people of the Black Moon have repeatedly attacked a defenseless little girl for the sake of your evil ambitions. Whatever your plans are, I cannot allow them to continue! For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I'LL PUNISH YOU!"

"Oh please, spare me that waste of time of a speech. What do you think it accomplishes, anyway?"

Sailor Moon unexpectedly grinned at that. "Heehee, this time it did more than you think! ChibiUsa!"

ChibiUsa nodded and raised what she had been holding in her hands: Mercury's computer. Before Esmeraude could figure out what was going on, Jupiter's lightning ball and Mars' firebird collided with Giwaku's back, destroying it and all its clones, while several of Venus' beams struck a red-skinned droid in an animal trainer's outfit. Esmeraude herself barely teleported out of the way of a wave of water. Turning around, she saw the four remaining Senshi running towards them.

"How did...?"

"SHINING ROSE BOMBER!"

Seizing upon their opponents' distraction, Tuxedo Kamen launched his golden rose at the wounded droid, destroying it. Esmeraude turned back again and glared at Sailor Moon.

"Ohohoho! What do you think of that, lady?" the blonde gloated. "Mercury can track her computer's position with her visor, and you've just left yourselves wide open! That'll teach you to underestimate me, the champion of justice!"

"It's not like it was your idea," ChibiUsa muttered, sweatdropping.

"You little twit!" the green-haired woman raged. "Don't even think you've won! Our forces have already destroyed Crystal Tokyo, and soon the Palace will fall as well! And then I'll personally pay you back for this! Pharmakon, hold them back!"

ChibiUsa gasped as Esmeraude disappeared. The last remaining droid growled and fired a barrage of syringes at the approaching Senshi, then turned back and rushed at Sailor Moon, trying to cut her to pieces with its scalpel hand. Tuxedo Kamen moved in and blocked it with his cane.

"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN"  
"SUPREME THUNDER DRAGON!"

Venus' glowing chain flew in and caught the droid's arm, pulling it back from her friends and straight into Jupiter's dragon. The droid screamed, paralyzed by the shock.

"Now, Sailor Moon!" Mars shouted.

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

The energy wave easily vaporized the droid. Sailor Moon flashed a victory sign at her friends, who quickly rejoined her.

"Man, it felt great to put one over the bad guys, for once," Jupiter exclaimed.

"Yeah, Mercury's plan worked perfectly!" Venus added, causing the blue-haired girl to blush slightly.

"It wasn't anything special," she said modestly. "We should keep moving, now that we're safe for a while."

The others nodded, and started heading for the end of the Corridor again. ChibiUsa hung back a little, though, her expression worried.

"ChibiUsa-chan, are you okay?" Mars asked.

"Y-yeah..." The little girl nodded and quickly caught up with the others, taking Tuxedo Kamen's and Sailor Moon's hands. Her heart, however, was still heavy. 'What if...that lady was telling the truth? What if Crystal Tokyo is already gone? Am I too late?' Her doubts continued to rise, even as the Senshi moved closer and closer to their goal.

* * *

THURSDAY 

Artemis landed silently on the windowsill of Usagi's room. It was early morning, and usually there would be much screaming at this time from Usagi being late for class, but today was quiet. The break in routine was unsettling, the white cat had to admit, being used to roughly the same thing with Minako. Seeing Luna curled up on the bed, he jumped up and went over to her.

"Artemis," the black cat greeted quietly. Artemis' heart sank a little; Luna had been like that since the girls had disappeared, subdued and quiet.

"Good morning, Luna," he replied, sitting down in front of her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Artemis. I was just wondering how they're doing, that's all. They should have reached the future by now, shouldn't they?"

"That's a pretty tricky question to answer, Luna," Artemis said wryly. "But they'll be alright."

"Hmmm..."

The cats paused when they heard footsteps ascending the stairs. There was the sound of a door opening, and then closing again as the footsteps moved back down the stairs.

"I can't believe we actually let Jadeite hypnotize the girls' parents," Luna said glumly.

"It was the only way we could do it, Luna," Artemis replied. "They still can't be told the truth yet."

"I know," Luna sighed.

The cats were silent for the next few minutes, each busy with their own thoughts.

"Luna..." Artemis said after a while. "I think you should have a talk with Usagi-chan when they get back. About Athan."

"Artemis..."

"Luna, I **know** you realize Athan isn't our enemy anymore...and that that wasn't the problem in the first place. Refusing to talk about this isn't fair to anyone; not to Usagi-chan, nor Athan, nor you. I know it isn't easy for you to do this, but Usagi-chan deserves to know what happened."

The black cat kept silent, refusing to look Artemis in the eye. Nonetheless, he could see the expression of pain on her face, the pain of feelings long submerged and preferrably forgotten. Steeling himself, he was about to go on when Luna responded.

"...I'll think about it."

Artemis nodded. That was about as much of a concession as he had hoped for. He half-reached out with one paw, but then reconsidered. Jumping back onto the windowsill, he headed out and left Luna to her own thoughts.

* * *

"It looks like the Rabbit has become separated from the Sailor Senshi," Saphir said to his brother. The two of them and Esmeraude were standing in front of their viewing tube, watching an image of the Senshi searching among the ruins of Crystal Tokyo.

"Perfect!" Esmeraude gloated. "I'll go and bring back that little brat, and then we can deal with the Senshi."

"Hmm...if you hadn't messed up in the Corridor of Time, they would never have gotten this far," Saphir reminded her, causing her to glare at him.

"That will not be necessary," Demande said in response to Esmeraude's suggestion. He was staring intently at Sailor Moon's image. "Saphir, concentrate on energizing the Black Crystal for our next attack. I will deal with this personally."

"But, Demande-sama!" Esmeraude objected, but the prince had already disappeared. 'What could he be thinking?' she wondered. She turned to ask Saphir, then noticed something else. "Where's the Wiseman?"

To be continued...

* * *

End Notes: We're about halfway there, people. :) Unfortunately, the next one might or might not be on time, as I've hit a short period of unproductivity this week and haven't gotten as much done as I'd hoped for. I guess we'll have to see for that. In the meantime, feedback would be lovely. ;) 


	6. Ch6: Sudden Deluge

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: New chapter, and only a little late:) The story is moving steadily towards its conclusion. I'm estimating about 9 chapters total, but we'll see how that works out. Hmm...I think that's about all I wanted to say. So, on to the story, enjoy, and tell me what you think!

* * *

**Through Storm-Cloud Eyes**

Part 6: Sudden Deluge

by JG Chan

_He looked down from his throne at the group facing him, their words slowly repeating themselves within his mind. His eyes remained close, and his thoughts unvoiced, as those around him began to react._

_"Traitors! We of the Black Moon must have vengeance! Our banishment and humiliation cannot go unpunished!"_

_"Exactly. None of you were there to see our forces annihilated by the Queen's army...the supposedly oh-so-great-and-loving Queen. How dare you suggest we let our people's deaths be in vain!?"_

_"They should be executed for even saying something like this..."_

_He listened dispassionately as the denunciations continued, letting his more vocal followers vent their anger. He knew he would not join them; whatever his feelings may be, pouring them out in anger served no one's purpose. Better to let them become fuel for his determination instead._

_As his warriors slowly wound down, he opened his eyes and looked at the three who had not spoken yet. "And what do you think should be done?" he asked them. His voice was deceptively calm...but his eyes were dark and turbulent, and those who knew him would know he had already made his own decisions._

_"I will abide by whatever you decide, Demande-sama," the woman answered, bowing. Her devotion to him was obvious as always, and as always he wondered just what to do with it. His heart would not be hers. But would he let her continue with her futile longing, or would he tell her...and risk the loss of an able officer at this critical time?_

_"It is too late to change our course now," the blue-haired man said, though it sounded more like a statement of fact than opinion. "The Black Moon clan shall take its revenge upon the Earth. But...there is no need to fight among ourselves, is there, brother?"_

_He smiled. Of all those around him, his brother understood him the most...but there was one thing he did not understand, and that had become their point of contention. They both knew he would not change his mind, though. He let out a barely audible sigh. Perhaps, when this is all over, things will be better...but there was much to do before that._

_"They are of no consequence," the final voice rasped. "Their fate will not affect our plans for the Earth, or its Queen."_

_He smiled slightly, inwardly amused. The Wiseman seized every opportunity he could to remind him of his...interest. It had been tempting to dismiss the old man for that lack of subtlety, but his instincts told him otherwise; of all those among this group, the Wiseman was the most dangerous. So long as their goals coincided, there would be no trouble, but he knew it was a dangerous game they were playing. His smile turned wolfish. The Wiseman was not the only dangerous one here._

_And now, there were only the dissenters to deal with. The five of them stood before his throne, enduring the glares of those present with varying levels of success. They were young, he realized; too young to know what had happened to their people, to truly understand their cause and what they face. Regret briefly welled up in him as he thought of that...and then power surged into his hands._

_It was over in an instant, and four bodies fell mutely to the floor. The only remaining girl stared at him in horror and betrayal. "Demande...ouji-sama?" she stammered._

_"Your parents had done much for our clan," he said coolly, "and for that your life is spared. Do not think to defy us again." Then he raised his voice, letting his passion flow into his words. It was time. "My clansmen! We have been exiled from our homes to this star of darkness; there can be no peace for those responsible. Hear me! We must stand united, and strike without doubt or mercy. Our enemy is mighty indeed...but we will overcome them, and take back what is ours!"_

_The gathering roared with approval. Turning back towards his throne, his face resumed its mask of cool calmness. He nodded to his brother, noting the tense expression on the younger man's face as he gazed at the girl behind him, but saying nothing. His clan was ready. The time was right. The assault will begin, and finally, he will lead his people to the life they deserved...and find an end to his own demons._

* * *

ChibiUsa looked around in growing despair; everywhere the city was in ruins, the stately houses crumbling, the once-green parks pocked with craters. The sky above was perpetually dark, adding to the somber, lifeless atmosphere. 

When they had first emerged from the Corridor of Time, they had been atop a hill overlooking Crystal Tokyo. Seeing the widespread destruction, she had been overwhelmed with worry for her mother, and had run off by herself towards the palace. She had thought she knew the way then...but that was not quite true, as it turned out. And now, she was alone, possibly lost, and really beginning to regret running off.

"Greetings, little one," a raspy voice said suddenly.

With a startled cry, the pink-haired girl spun around, Luna-P floating around to defend her. From out of the shadows, a form shrouded in the folds of a purple robe emerged. A crystal ball rested between its strange-looking hands, and it sat floating upon the air. Its face was hidden under a cowl, but ChibiUsa could feel the coldness of its presence. She shivered and started backing away.

"Who are you!?" she demanded.

"Worry not, little one," the figure said in reassuring tones, though its voice had the completely opposite effect. "I do not seek to harm you. I am merely searching for something...something that perhaps you would know of..."

"W-what is that...?"

"The Illusion Silver Crystal...little Rabbit."

ChibiUsa screamed and turned to run, but suddenly found herself frozen in place, unable to even speak. At the same time, Luna-P shot forward and hit the Wiseman...with absolutely no effect. The robed figure slowly moved closer to its helpless prey.

"You are hiding something, little one..." the Wiseman continued. "You know more than your friends think...than you yourself think. Now, let us see what you are hiding..."

It was close to her now, and ChibiUsa whimpered helplessly as one of its hands began to reach towards her. She wanted to cry, scream, do something to relieve the fear choking her soul, but she couldn't...and then he touched her, and with a terrified shriek, she fainted.

"So...**you** are the one who has it," the Wiseman said with a sinister chuckle. "All is clear now, and all that remains is..."

It got no further, as something made its head jerk in alarm. An instant later, all hell broke loose as rubble rose from the ground and began flying towards it in a dense storm of rock. No matter how it dodged and warped, there always seemed to be a block of stone headed its way, forcing it further and further away from ChibiUsa. The deafening deluge continued for several seconds before it ended, leaving a swath of dust-choked destruction between the Wiseman and the completely unharmed ChibiUsa.

"...I see your power is no less than rumoured," the cloaked figure said with deceptive calm.

The dust slowly settled, revealing a tall figure standing over the unconscious little girl. He wore a lavender tuxedo and cape, and carried a white cane. His blue eyes glinted with cold fury behind his mask, and the air around him crackled with palpable psychic might.

"Leave here, Wiseman," he said shortly.

"You cannot destroy me, Neo King."

The Neo King did not reply, but his expression grew fierce. He raised his cane, and once more the rubble around them began to rise. The Wiseman remained where it was for a moment longer, and then teleported away without a word.

The lavender-suited man let his power fade. Turning, he regarded ChibiUsa with sad, loving eyes, and then bent down to pick her up. As he did so, a stab of pain lanced into him from the unhealed wound at his side. Gritting his teeth, he ignored it and picked up the little girl, then headed for the palace with Luna-P following docilely behind. There was much he still had to do...like meet with his past self, who was slowly getting closer.

* * *

"Oniko..." 

The dark-haired woman sat up from her bed and stretched langorously. Her mended cape was folded over the back of a chair, along with the belts holding braces of her throwing knives. The remainder of the room had been left mostly untouched since she'd...disposed of its previous occupant.

"Yes, Master Wiseman?" she responded to the robed image floating above her.

"It is time to move on with our plans. Have you any more of your potions?"

Oniko smiled evilly. She reached into a pouch at her waist and pulled out a small vial filled with a purplish liquid. "It is the last one, though if I were to return, I could make more."

"That will be sufficient." The vial floated upwards and disappeared. "The Senshi have found their way here to the future, and have most likely joined with the Neo King by now. However, I have what I need, and their fate does not matter so long as they do not interfere. Make your preparations."

"What about Sin?"

"There is no need to involve that one. We have what we need from her."

The image wavered and faded. Oniko stayed where she was for a moment, contemplating her next course of action. Then, she stood up and wrapped her cape around herself. An instant later, she vanished with a swirl of blackness.

* * *

"What is this place?" Jupiter asked as they followed the Neo King into the large underground chamber. The place was dark except for what looked like a large computer system against one wall. 

"This is one of the secret rooms beneath the Palace," he answered. "Very few people are allowed in here."

"What about ChibiUsa?" Sailor Moon asked.

"She is safe, Sailor Moon. Be patient for a little longer; there are things you need to know about what has happened here."

Sailor Moon nodded uncertainly, glancing between Tuxedo Kamen and their host. Neo King Endymion...it was difficult to wrap her head around the fact that he was her beloved's future self. Of course, they did look almost identical, though Endymion had a much more commanding presence and a slightly deeper voice. She couldn't help smiling a little; time had been kind to her Mamo-chan, so that was something to look forward to...although...that would mean she was...no, it couldn't be...

"Sailor Moon!" Mars hissed at her, poking her in the ribs. The blonde yelped and looked at King Endymion, who was smiling amusedly at her.

"S-sorry, I'll pay attention," she apologized contritely.

"...As I was saying, sometime in your future, there will be a great natural catastrophe on Earth, and the world will undergo a frozen sleep in order for people's lives to be preserved. Many centuries later, the world was re-awakened by the power of Neo Queen Serenity, and in time a prosperous and peaceful nation was created, centered on the city of Crystal Tokyo. But things didn't always go smoothly, of course; some time back, there was a rebellion led by a group calling themselves the Black Moon."

There was a collective gasp of recognition.

"Neo Queen Serenity and I were able to end this rebellion with the help of our friends," Endymion continued, "but the damage had been done, and there was no choice but to exile the surviving rebels from Earth. Their destination was a dark planet at the edge of the solar system, Nemesis, where the sun's light did not reach."

"For many years, the people of the Black Moon remained quiet, and learned to live on their new planet. But not long ago, they appeared once more without warning, and attacked Crystal Tokyo. That night, the city's defenses somehow failed. To protect the palace, Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus used their power to form a shield, and..."

"Wait, what?" Venus interrupted. "The Sailor Senshi...?"

"Do you mean there are also Sailor Senshi representing our planets in the future?" Mercury asked. Endymion shook his head, smiling faintly.

"Not exactly, Mercury," he answered. "There are no new Senshi of the inner planets, as far as I know. The ones I speak of are your future selves."

Several pairs of eyes widened in shock at that, including Sailor Moon's, whose realization had just been confirmed. 'Oh gods...I **am**...'

"In any case," Endymion went on, "it has been some time now since the attack began, and the shield will not last much longer. Our only hope now is the Illusion Silver Crystal, and Neo Queen Serenity is the only one who can wield it." His eyes met Sailor Moon's, and he nodded at her unspoken question. "Yes, Sailor Moon. Neo Queen Serenity, ruler of Crystal Tokyo, is your future self."

* * *

"Wiseman! Wiseman, where are you!?" Esmeraude called out into the darkened room that served as the Wiseman's 'office'. It was, in point of fact, not much more than an empty room where the strange old man could usually be found. 

"Esmeraude." The response came from one of the shadowy corners, and a moment later the purple-robed figure drifted out into the light.

"Where have you been?" Esmeraude demanded irritably.

"There was a small errand that required my attention," the Wiseman replied calmly. "I sense that you are troubled, Esmeraude..."

"...Demande-sama has gone personally to confront that Sailor Moon brat..."

"Ah..." the Wiseman tone was just a little sly. "Perhaps the Prince has realized that this Sailor Moon is, in fact, Neo Queen Serenity's past self..."

"**WHAAAAAT!?**"

The Wiseman fell silent as the green-haired woman raged, pacing about the room like a caged lioness. This continued for several minutes, after which Esmeraude began to run out of expletives to scream at the Queen of Crystal Tokyo.

"This is unforgivable! How dare that...that WITCH steal Demande-sama's heart from me! I can't let her get away with this!"

"Sailor Moon is most likely in the Palace by now," the Wiseman noted. "There is little we can do...unless someone were to break through the shield before the Prince..."

Esmeraude gave the floating seer a suspicious look, but her anger and bitterness seemed to be overcoming her doubts. If she could be the one to take the Palace for the Black Moon clan, then perhaps the Prince would...

"Can you help me, Wiseman?" she asked, a bit calmer.

"I can," the Wiseman rasped. "I have an item that would grant you power worthy of a queen, but...we would acting against the Prince's orders..."

"Nonsense! Demande-sama himself told us to prepare for the next attack." Her gaze became intent, and her tone changed slightly, giving hints at the depth of her feelings for her Prince. "And even if he condemns me for this, I don't care. Neo Queen Serenity...she has entrapped Demande-sama's heart for too long. If I can defeat her...**kill** her...then I would pay any price!"

"Very well."

The Wiseman hunched over his crystal ball, whose iridescent glow grew stronger. An object began to appear out of it; an exquisite tiara, crafted of gold and black crystal. It floated towards Esmeraude, stopping directly in front of her.

"This crown is born of the power of our great Black Crystal. Don it, and your powers will grow tenfold and more...enough to break through the Sailor Senshi's barrier."

The green-haired woman nodded, taking careful hold of the tiara. It was true...there was a tremendous power within it, she could feel it. Power which would allow her to finally free her Prince from the spell he was under. She raised the tiara to her head and put it in place...and screamed.

The Wiseman watched wordlessly as Esmeraude writhed, streams of dark energy flowing out of the tiara to envelop her body. Pain-filled brown eyes stared up at the shadows beneath the purple cowl.

"Foolish humans and their weak hearts..." the rasping voice drifted quietly out of the shadow. "Your paths lead only to ultimate darkness. If such is the case, then I shall become your shepherd, and take this world beyond the Black Gate. Be first to fall, Esmeraude...and hope that your sacrifice might yet bring death to the Neo Queen."

Esmeraude's eyes narrowed in pain and belated realization of the truth. Then, slowly, as if eroded by the dark energy pouring into her, they settled into bitter resignation. And at that moment, an enormous dragon burst out the side of the Black Moon fortress, consumed with only one purpose...

* * *

"Sailor Moon?" 

There was no response from the blonde Senshi leaning against the balcony railing. Tuxedo Kamen walked closer to her and draped his cape over her shoulders. Though it wasn't particular cold, there was a stiff breeze up here around the Palace's middle levels.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" she looked up at him inquiringly.

"What are you thinking about, Usako?" he asked. Sailor Moon didn't respond immediately as she turned forward again, though she moved closer and took hold of his arm under the cape.

He waited, looking out beside her at the desolate city of Crystal Tokyo. Neo King Endymion's revelation of their identities had been followed by the even more startling fact that ChibiUsa was their daughter...his and Usagi's. The two of them had gone beet red at that, but even so, he thought he had seen something other than embarassment in Sailor Moon's eyes. After that, Endymion had suggested that they rest a while and recover from their recent battles. He had tried to do so, but found that he could not sleep...and now it looked like he wasn't the only one.

"Tuxe...Mamo-chan, do you remember when we went to the amusement park on your birthday?" she asked suddenly.

"Yeah..." he smiled crookedly. "I remember the look your dad gave me afterwards when he saw your clothes all wet." She giggled at that, and he went on. "So much has happened since then, though."

"Do you remember what ChibiUsa talked about that day?"

"Her parents..." Suddenly, he understood. "That's what you're thinking about now, isn't it?"

Sailor Moon nodded. "When I saw how much she adored her mother, I started wondering if I could become like that too, someday...and I think I wanted her to believe I could, too. I didn't know why I cared so much for what she thought, then. But now...can you believe it? I really **am** her mother, and a queen to boot." She turned around and looked him in the eye, her gaze heavy with doubts. "Do you really think I can become..."

"Yes."

She frowned. "You didn't even think about it!" she objected. Tuxedo Kamen shook his head and pulled her closer to him, making her cheeks flush.

"I don't need to think about it," he said seriously. "You might not realize it, but you've already done so much that no one else could...and you've grown stronger and more mature every time. Ask anyone of us, we'll all tell you that." He smiled. "Heck, I wasn't even surprised when Endymion told us you were the Queen. I think you're the only one who doesn't believe it yet, Usako."

"Mamo-chan..." She breathed his name softly as she pulled back to look at his face. "And I'll have you beside me, too, and everyone else..."

"Always, Usako. Always."

He stared down into her eyes for a moment, beautiful blue orbs sparkling with emotion. On rare occasions like this one, they seemed impossibly deep, yet at the same time one could see everything within, open and unguarded. His gaze drifted down slightly, falling on her soft, pink lips...and suddenly he found himself moving towards her, and her towards him, their eyes slowly closing as their lips neared...

"I'm afraid I cannot allow this," a voice said suddenly. The two of them quickly looked up, just in time to see a figure materialize in the air amid swirling currents of darkness. An instant later, Tuxedo Kamen found himself hurled back through the air and into the wall, the wind knocked out of him.

As he struggled to get his breath back, he dimly heard Sailor Moon calling out his name. Grunting, he pulled himself back on his feet as quickly as he could, a rose appearing in his hand as soon as it was free...only to see Sailor Moon rise into the air towards the white-garbed intruder.

"Sailor Moon!" he shouted. His arm snapped forward, sending the red rose flying towards their assailant, but both he and Sailor Moon disappeared before the projectile hit. Cursing, Tuxedo Kamen fell back down to his knees. 'And I just promised her...' he thought angrily. 'Dammit!'

"What's going on?" he heard Venus ask as the girls came running.

"Someone...someone came and took Sailor Moon..."

"WHAT?" Mars exclaimed. "How could you have let that happen!?"

Tuxedo Kamen flinched, then steeled himself and got back up. Mars seemed to have realized how she had sounded and was looking at him apologetically, and all of them looked worried. "I'll find her," he said firmly. "No matter what it takes."

"Calm yourself, Tuxedo Kamen." Endymion came out onto the balcony. "I know where the enemy must have taken her."

"Where?" he asked immediately.

"The Black Moon's headquarters is a floating citadel that circles outside the shield. I can show you its current location and the way to get there. However, we have other problems as well."

The Neo King pointed, and they turned to look. A speck on the horizon was moving closer and closer, and growing more and more distinct as it approached.

"What the...is that a **dragon**?" Jupiter exclaimed incredulously.

"So it seems," Endymion replied. "Whatever it is, the sensors show that it is very powerful. I doubt the shield can withstand it for long if it attacks directly."

Tuxedo Kamen frowned. He wanted to rescue Sailor Moon right then if he could, but ChibiUsa was still in the Palace, along with his beloved's and their friends' future selves. If the enemy were to break through... His gaze met Endymion's, and the older man shook his head, as if sensing his dilemma.

"You must go and help Sailor Moon," he said calmly. "The bond between the two of you...the two of us...holds greater strength than anything else, and you will need that strength intact." He looked around at the four remaining Senshi. "I would ask for your help in defending the Palace."

"Of course!" Venus replied.

"You can count on us." Jupiter added.

The Neo King nodded. "Thank you. Please head for the shield first. I will show Tuxedo Kamen how to reach Sailor Moon and call for backup, and then I will join you."

"Backup?" Mercury repeated. "You mean you have other forces left to help you?"

"Indeed." Endymion smiled briefly. "There is a lot more happening than you know, but there's no time for that now. Go, quickly."

The Senshi nodded in unison, and everyone headed their separate ways. As Tuxedo Kamen followed his future self down towards the secret room, he pushed the oncoming danger from his mind and focused on his mission. 'Sailor Moon...Usako...I'll be there soon. Please be safe until then.'

* * *

Chibi-Usa tossed fitfully in her sleep. She was lying in a large bed in one of the Palace's rooms, unaware of the attack that was about to occur, her mind adrift in the land of dreams. 

_"Mama! Papa! Hurry up!"_

_The little princess, clad in a pale blue sundress, ran ahead of her parents towards the pond. They were deep under the trees now, in a secluded glade that only the royal family and its entourage knew about. A small opening in the leaves above let a shaft of sunlight into the clearing, highlighting the clear water with patches of white radiance. Water-lilies stood quivering slightly from the breeze, a contrasting swath of dark green against the light._

_Despite such breath-taking surroundings, the princess wasted none of her joyous momentum to stop and admire the scenery. Mere seconds after arriving, her sandals lay hastily removed in the grass, and her royal highness was splashing delightedly in the water, startling sleepy, quiet-loving fish._

_The royal couple sat not far away in the shade of a tall oak tree, their smiles widening with each trill of laughter from their child. The small princess waved at them, then ran up to her father._

_"Come on, Papa, play with me!" she pleaded._

_"Alright, sweetie," her father acquiesced. He cast a deeply satisfied look at his wife, who was looking up at him with equal delight._

_"Thank you, my love," she told him mysteriously, as the two people she cherished the most waded into the cool water._

A small smile appeared on ChibiUsa's lips as the memory played out in her unconscious mind. As this happened, something hidden within her awoke, and an aura of faint shadow spread over her sleeping form. The tainting presence, both physical and mental, dove into the dreams of its victim...and began to twist.

_"Mama! Papa! Hurry up!"_

_The little princess, clad in a pale blue sundress, ran ahead of her parents towards the pond. They were deep under the trees now, in a secluded glade that only the royal family and its entourage knew about. A small opening in the leaves above revealed the pale blue sky over the clearing, and a slightly chill breeze rippled the surface of the otherwise still water. Reeds stood quivering in clusters around the pond, and the area was strangely quiet._

_Despite such surroundings, the princess wasted none of her joyous momentum to stop and examine the scenery. Mere seconds after arriving, her sandals lay hastily removed in the grass, and her royal highness was splashing excitedly in the water, only shivering a little at its coldness._

_The royal couple sat not far away in the shade of a gnarled oak tree, faint smiles on their faces as they watched their child. The small princess waved at them, then ran up to her father._

_"Come on, Papa, play with me!" she pleaded._

_"That's alright, sweetie," her father replied. "I'll just stay here with your mother." He cast a strangely blank look at his wife, who was looking at him with the same sense of detachment. The wind chose that moment to whistle forlornly across the clearing, accentuating the silence._

_"Soon, my love," she told him mysteriously, as the disappointed girl waded alone back into the cold water._

The malign presence hovering above ChibiUsa let out a ghostly cackle as the little girl's smile faded. Delving deeper into the child's innocent mind, it continued to make changes, its strength and delight growing proportionately with ChibiUsa's distress. Soon, the shadow around the girl was clearly visible and slowly gaining substance. It would only take a little more...

* * *

Usagi woke up in a large, soft bed and an unfamiliar room. The ceiling was high and shrouded in darkness, and the dim, sourceless light cast everything in a cold, bluish colour. 

Still a bit disoriented, she sat up, then gasped as she looked down at herself. She was no longer in her fuku; in fact, she could feel that she was no longer even transformed. Instead, she was wearing a long white gown decorated with gold leaf and a wing-like bow at the back. 'It's just like...Neo Queen Serenity's...'

"So, you are awake. I'm impressed; you should have remained unconscious for much longer, considering the amount of dark energy you absorbed."

The figure of a man appeared across from the bed, and Usagi recognized him as her kidnapper. Dressed all in white, his handsome face was framed with soft white hair. Beneath the black crescent that marked his clan, his eyes bore into hers, their deep purple colour like storm clouds at night. Usagi vaguely recalled the hypnotic power of those eyes that he had used on her, but somehow, that power didn't seem necessary; there was a magnetism to his intense gaze that was hard to resist, and her eyes remained locked to his.

"Who are you...?" she asked a bit shakily. Her hand fell on her brooch next to her, and clasped it tightly.

"I am Demande," the man introduced himself, "leader of the Black Moon clan. It is an...honour...to meet you, Sailor Moon, protector of the Earth."

There was a strange note in his voice as he said this, and Usagi backed away warily. Then, she gasped as her body once again floated up into the air and began to move towards Demande. Instinctively, she raised her brooch.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

Nothing happened. Usagi stared at her brooch in disbelief, then at Demande, who was smiling confidently. "Try all you want," he said, "but you cannot transform with our Black Crystal so close." She was right in front of him now, and he reached out and held her chin with his hand. "You might as well get used to it; you shall remain here as my Queen from now on..."

Usagi gasped, but she did not move right away. Her gaze was still held by his, drawn by the play of turbulent emotion in his eyes, a mixture of longing and hatred and something deeper. Finally, though, she pulled away from him, her heart beating wildly.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked him. "Why are you here?"

Demande's expression darkened. "Revenge, Sailor Moon," he answered flatly. "Revenge for the slaughter of our people, and our banishment to the dark planet."

"S-slaughter?" the blonde repeated in shock. "But didn't the Black Moon rebel first?"

"Rebel? Ha!" The prince looked at her with a scornful smile. Of course, Endymion must have told them that, and only that. Such was the way of those in power who feared the revelation of their misdeeds. "Tell me, Sailor Moon...did you think rebellions spring out of nothing? Do you believe people wake up one day, snap their fingers, and decide they're going to overthrow their country?" He stepped closer to her, his eyes smoldering. To be fair, this girl had done nothing to him yet...but he couldn't hold back any longer. "For years, our clan had been outcast. Those around us feared and distrusted us simply because of this black crescent mark. They avoided us, whispered behind our backs...and some would outright attack us and drive us away. And through all of this, the government, the Neo Queen...**you**...did nothing!"

"No, that can't be true!" Usagi protested vehemently. "I...I wouldn't..."

"How do you know that, Sailor Moon?"

"I..." she faltered, unable to defend herself. He was right; how could she be sure? But still...

"Our clan's destiny demanded action," Demande went on. "We were fated to help create a new, better world...one where such suffering would not exist. And for that, we fought...and lost. But that will all change now. Our world will come to be once we put an end to Crystal Tokyo."

"No, that can't be right!" Usagi shook her head emphatically. "How can you create a better world through destruction? You say your clan has suffered so much...but aren't the people you're attacking now suffering too? Are you saying that they deserve to be destroyed because they didn't help you?" She looked Demande squarely in the eyes, her strength returning. "I don't know what Neo Queen Serenity did," she said in a soft but unwavering voice. "But whatever that is, attacking people like this can't be justified. I **will** stop you."

"Brave words, for one who is helpless," Demande replied. "I see your will is strong even now...but you can change nothing. Hate me if you will, but I will see my clan through this, and Crystal Tokyo shall lie a smoking waste behind us."

Usagi stood still for a moment, then shook her head sadly. "I can't hate you, Demande," she said quietly. "Don't you see? Hatred won't ever solve anything. I will stop you...but I won't hate you."

The white-haired prince glared at his captive, but faltered slightly when the look she returned carried only sadness. So much like that time... His previous anger disappeared, forgotten in the face of this greater need. He saw her step back slightly as the look in his eyes became intense, almost hungry, and he reactivated his power, pulling her to him. She was in his grasp now, and he would finally discover the truth behind that gaze. With his power paralyzing her body, he placed one hand behind her neck and slowly, steadily pulled her closer...

* * *

Tuxedo Kamen landed on a small ledge next to a hatch in the outer hull of the massive crystal citadel. He was surprised that he had gotten in so easily, but right now, he was more concerned with other things. Both his psychic sense and his bond with Usagi were screaming at him to run, and run he did, somehow sensing the right path to follow. Still, there was a gnawing doubt that he might be too late... 

"Call to her."

The masked man nearly stumbled as Kunzite's voice suddenly sounded in his mind. One hand reached up to his shirt pocket, feeling the pair of stones he kept there and had almost forgotten in his haste.

'What do you mean?' he asked mentally.

"Call to her, Endymion. Send your thoughts to her through the bond you two share. Your telepathic powers might not be fully restored yet, but if there's anyone you can reach, it will be the princess."

'...I see. Thank you.' Tuxedo Kamen slowed his pace slightly as his mind focused onto the task at hand. 'I'll be with you soon, Usako. Hang on!'

* * *

"RRAAAAAAAAARGH!" 

The deafening roar was followed by a loud crash as the huge dragon slammed its tail against the shield. Its fury was obvious, and it lashed out ruthlessly, unaware of the disappearance of one of its targets. Standing within the protection of the translucent barrier, the Senshi observed their foe worriedly.

"Does anyone think we might be in over our heads this time?" Jupiter remarked. "Youma and droids are one thing, but..."

"The King was right, though," Mercury said, reading from her computer. "If it keeps pounding on the shield, it'll break through in no time. We have to at least distract it."

"That's if we can even get its attention," Mars replied.

"Well, only one way to find out!" Venus declared. She nodded to her friends. "I'll go first."

"Be careful, Venus," Mercury cautioned. The blonde Senshi nodded and moved to the edge of the shield. The dragon hadn't even noticed her, still focused on breaking through the barrier. As the beast reared up in order to breathe fire, Venus sprang out and attacked.

"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!"

The golden chain arced upwards and scored a hit on the underside of the dragon's neck. It roared in pain and redirected its fiery breath down at the Senshi of Love, who quickly jumped out of the way. Meanwhile, Jupiter moved out from the dragon's other side, readying her own attack.

"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"

The charged projectile flew towards the dragon's face as it attempted to follow Venus with its flame, colliding with it forcefully and making it stagger back. The beast growled and shook its head, seemingly dazed, but unharmed. The Senshi stared at each other in growing consternation; what was it going to take to destroy this monster?

"Mercury, let's try one together!" Mars called out, running to one side of the dragon.

"Right!" The Senshi of Water followed suit, heading to the opposite side until they had the dragon between them.

"BURNING MANDALA"  
"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"

The two attacks struck from both sides, engulfing the dragon in fire and ice. It stumbled back with a pained growl, partially frozen and charred, and for a moment it looked like it might fall. Then the crystal at its forehead started to shine, and the beast rose up to its full height, roaring with renewed energy. Spinning around, it swept the area with its tail, sending all four Senshi sprawling.

"Now what?" Venus panted, getting back on her feet. "It doesn't look hurt at all!"

"All of us together?" Jupiter suggested. Before the others could reply, they were all forced to leap away as the dragon spewed fire at them. They landed close to the shield, and watched as the beast started towards them again.

"That crystal on its head..." Mercury said thoughtfully. "It might be what's protecting it from our attacks."

"It is."

The Senshi turned as Neo King Endymion joined them. "Our computer picked up a very strong dark energy reading from that crystal," he explained. "If we destroy it, the enemy should be weakened."

"But will it be enough?" Venus asked.

Endymion smiled slightly. "Believe in your power, girls. There's very little that your united hearts can't do; I know that from experience." There was a strange, echoing screech just then, and his smile widened. "It looks like our backup has arrived."

The Senshi looked at him quizzically, and then a sudden roar drew their attention back to the dragon. To their surprise, it was being pelted with a veritable barrage of small fireballs, the sheer number of them forcing the huge beast to back away even though the damage was not great. The girls followed the fireballs back to their source, and gaped.

Poised atop a hill some distance away was a large reptilian creature, easily over fifteen feet tall. Much of that height came from the dozen of serpentine necks branching out from its broad brown body, each ending in a rust-coloured snake head. A woman stood beside the creature, one hand resting on its flank with obvious familiarity. She wore a peach-coloured dress and a blue cloak, the hood hiding her features save for a lock of reddish hair. Presently the dragon retaliated with its own fiery breath, and the large reptile moved to shield its mistress with its body.

"What...who...what is **that**!?" Mars spluttered, still staring at the fantastical beast as several of its heads swiveled around to return fire.

"You'll find out eventually," Endymion replied blandly. "But let's not waste this chance. I'll take care of that crystal. Are you girls ready?"

The girls looked at each other and Endymion. Trust in the power of their united hearts... Their expressions grew resolved, and each of them nodded in turn.

"We're ready," Venus announced, speaking for all of them. Endymion nodded, and began running towards the dragon, the Senshi following close behind. Then the Neo King leapt high into the air, a lavender rose in his right hand. As the dragon turned its head slightly to see what was going on, he threw the rose, hitting the crystal dead on. Cracks appeared on it, and then it shattered, and the dragon roared in pain. Below it, the Senshi had assumed their formation, arms linked and ready.

"SAILOR PLANET ATTACK!"

The combined attack engulfed the huge beast who, without the energy of the black crystal, slowly began to disintegrate. As it did so, its roar became a piercing scream, an almost human-like sound, filled with hopelessness and loss. Shocked, the Senshi backed away as the dust of the defeated dragon drifted about them.

"What was that?" Jupiter asked.

"It was a person..." Mars whispered in disbelief. "That dragon was a person..."

"But how is that possible?" Mercury wondered. "To cause that kind of transformation would require so much energy..."

"I don't know, but that's what I felt," Mars replied. The other Senshi looked at each other somberly.

"Well, it can't be helped now," Venus said seriously. "The shield should be okay for now. Let's hope Tuxedo Kamen can bring Sailor Moon back safely."

To be continued...


	7. Ch7: Crescendo

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: Apologies for being late, and unfortunately the following chapters might be as well. I actually don't have much time to write at the moment, but thanks to those who commented, and I will take what is said into consideration. But now, on to the story...and be warned, this one isn't for the squeamish.

* * *

**Through Storm-Cloud Eyes**

Part 7: Crescendo

by JG Chan

_"Your Highness! The city's defenses have fallen!"_

_"Just as the Wiseman predicted!" Rubeus gloated. "Attack, now!"_

_Demande watched the viewing screen calmly as Rubeus' order was transmitted across the fleet of crystal ships. Within moments, a series of enormous explosions spread across Crystal Tokyo. Alarms sounded faintly in the distance, and clouds of smoke rose into the darkening sky. As no sign of countermeasures presented themselves, the men and women around him began to cheer._

_"A little too easy, perhaps," Saphir noted uneasily._

_"Indeed," Demande agreed. "We should..."_

_"The Neo Queen has been sighted!"_

_The excited report immediately drew everyone's attention, as the view on the screen shifted with the new data being sent in. The image of the front of the Crystal Palace appeared, a small figure in white moving within it, seeming to be searching for something. Demande rose to his feet, his gaze locked onto that figure._

_"Capture her," he ordered with rare urgency in his voice. The others glanced around at him in surprise. Esmeraude was the first to react, quickly moving to the main console._

_"All ships in range of the palace," she called out over the commlink, "target the Neo Queen and fire, NOW!"_

_"Esmeraude!" Demande said sharply. The sound of beam weapons firing could be heard, and the screen went white._

_"Serenity is incredibly powerful, Demande-sama," the green-haired woman replied smoothly, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "Surely we cannot capture her without using our full power..."_

_"Y-your Highness!" A voice interrupted her from the commlink. "She's still there!"_

_Demande turned back towards the screen, hearing Esmeraude gasp in disbelief next to him. Indeed, the Neo Queen was still there, even though the ground around her was utterly destroyed. Looking more closely, the prince could see a greenish, translucent crystal surrounding her. He smiled coolly at the now-discomfited Esmeraude._

_"It seems you were right," he said. "She certainly is not so easily destroyed." He turned to Saphir. "Have our men take her onboard as soon as possible, before her friends come to rescue her."_

_The blue-haired man shook his head. "We're too late for that, brother. Look." He pointed to the screen, where a stream of light suddenly burst through the ground near the palace. This was rapidly followed by several more, until the five bright pillars surrounded the Crystal Palace. Soon enough, reports came in as the Black Moon troops tried unsuccessfully to penetrate the newly-erected shield._

_"Damn!" Rubeus muttered. "We were so close..."_

_"It does not matter," Demande replied. "We hold the advantage, and eventually we will break through. We will proceed as planned."_

_"One more thing, brother," Saphir added. "The Black Crystal has detected someone entering the time stream just now. They seem to be heading to the past. I'll bring up the image."_

_The viewing screen changed once again, displaying a small pink-haired child. Demande gazed at it for a moment, then smiled. There might be a faster way, after all..._

* * *

Usagi listened to Demande speak, feeling her heart being torn inside her. Was he telling the truth? Had he truly been pushed this far by something she...Neo Queen Serenity had done? He didn't seem like he was lying; his eyes were burning with conviction, so much that she almost couldn't bear to look at them. Everything was just happening so fast...

As her thoughts tumbled about in disarray, an image appeared again in her mind. It was during their first battle with Rubeus. Right after her friends had arrived to help, she had turned around to reassure ChibiUsa. The look on the child's face at the time had burned itself in her mind; a look of terror and despair that should never, ever appear on a child's face.

Demande had just declared his intention to destroy Crystal Tokyo then, and Usagi's mind returned to the present, her confusion gone. "No, that can't be right!" she said, shaking her head. "How can you create a better world through destruction? You say your clan has suffered so much...but aren't the people you're attacking now suffering too? Are you saying that they deserve to be destroyed because they didn't help you?" She looked Demande squarely in the eyes, no longer intimidated by his resolve when her own had just been awakened. "I don't know what Neo Queen Serenity did," she said in a soft but unwavering voice. "But whatever that is, attacking people like this can't be justified. I **will** stop you."

"Brave words, for one who is helpless," Demande replied. "I see your will is strong even now...but you can change nothing. Hate me if you will, but I will see my clan through this, and Crystal Tokyo shall lie a smoking waste behind us."

Usagi was taken aback for a moment; did Demande really hate the people of Crystal Tokyo that much? No...that wasn't it. What she saw in his eyes was much stronger, much purer than that, but it had been twisted into something dark and destructive. As she realized that, she felt a surge of sympathy for the man before her. "I can't hate you, Demande," she said quietly. "Don't you see? Hatred won't ever solve anything. I will stop you...but I won't hate you."

The prince glared at her for a moment, but then his expression changed. Usagi stepped back unconsciously, and then gasped as she was suddenly pulled towards him. Their faces were only inches apart, and panic seized her as she realized what he was going to do.

"...sa..."

'No...I can't move...someone, help me!' Her mind screamed, but all that came out from her paralyzed body was a small whimper.

"...Usa..."

'He's going to kiss me...but I still haven't kissed Mamo-chan properly yet...no...Mamo-chan...' A tear rolled down her cheek as she felt Demande's warm breath on her face.

'Mamo-chan...save me, **please**...'

"USAKO!"

The mental voice thundered in Usagi's mind, shattering Demande's hold on her, at the same time as her hand smacked resoundingly against the Black Moon prince's cheek. Stunned, he didn't react as she pulled herself away from him and stumbled back onto the bed.

"How did you..." Demande began, but a sudden premonition caused him to twist aside. Sure enough, a crimson rose imbedded itself in the floor where he had just been. Looking up, he saw the caped form standing at a broken window.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Usagi cried in relief.

"I don't care who you are," Tuxedo Kamen growled, "but stay THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!"

Demande smirked. His black crescent transformed into a third eye, which opened and blasted Tuxedo Kamen with dark energy. The masked man raised his cape to block the attack, while his other hand was pulled back to retaliate, a golden rose already formed. Demande intensified his power, forcing his opponent back.

"You've lost," he declared confidently. "The instant you let your guard down to attack, I will obliterate you. Did you really think your puny roses could defeat me?"

Tuxedo Kamen didn't reply, as Usagi looked on anxiously, clutching her still unusable brooch. Suddenly, however, Demande's attack stopped, and the white-haired prince let out a cry of surprise; the first rose Tuxedo Kamen had thrown had floated up and struck him from behind, hitting his shoulder.

"SHINING ROSE BOMBER!"

Using that slim reprieve, Tuxedo Kamen launched his own attack. The golden rose exploded in front of Demande's face, blinding him temporarily. Then Tuxedo Kamen extended his cane down towards Usagi, who grabbed onto it and was lifted up. By the time the prince had recovered his sight, the two were gone.

"Brother! What happened here?" Saphir called out as he came into the room. Demande did not answer immediately, instead reaching around to pull the rose out of his shoulder. The younger man's eyes widened. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," the prince replied, his expression grim. He had been so close... "It looks like I underestimated her protector...but that won't happen again."

"I...I see," Saphir frowned, then went on. "I have more bad news, I'm afraid. It seems that Esmeraude obtained some kind of power from the Wiseman. She went to attack the shield alone, and was destroyed." The blue-haired man scowled. "I'm sure that old man knew what would happen. Brother, we should not be trusting him so much, when we know so little about him."

"...Alright." Demande flung the rose aside and started out of the room, his brother close behind him. "Let us see what the Wiseman has to say for himself, then..."

* * *

_"Mama! Papa! Hurry!"_

_The little princess, clad in a pale blue sundress, cried out in fright as the shadowy forms dragged her towards the pond. They were deep under the trees now, in a dark, secluded glade. A small opening in the twisted branches above revealed the dark grey sky over the clearing, and a cold wind moaned above the stagnant water. Scraggly clumps of dead grass surrounded the pond, and the area was deathly silent._

_The princess had no time to notice the surroundings, however. The grip of the shadows around her was unyielding, and soon her royal highness was halfway in the slimy water, splashing frantically in her attempts to free herself._

_The royal couple stood not far away beneath the twisted trees, eerie smiles on their faces as they watched their child struggle. The small princess reached desperately towards them, then called out to her father._

_"Please, Papa, help me!" she pleaded._

_"No, that's alright, sweetie," her father replied in a sickeningly sweet voice. "This is what we want, after all." He cast a cruel look at his wife, who was looking at him with the same evil smile. The wind chose that moment to howl across the clearing, and the shadowy forms howled alongside it in mad glee._

_"Soon, my love," she told him, "you will be all mine." The two of them grinned sadistically, as the horrified girl finally sank beneath the frigid water, her eyes locked onto the parents she had thought loved her._

ChibiUsa bolted upright in her bed. Her mouth was open to scream, but no sound came out; the malign darkness had already enveloped her completely. Its hold on her mind secured, it let out a ghostly chuckle and began suffusing her body with its essence. The helpless little girl found herself lifted into the air as her body began to change...and then her darkest thoughts took over, and she sank into nothingness.

* * *

Snow had begun to fall in the deserted park. Not far away, the Palace of Crystal Tokyo gleamed in the light of the rising moon. Tuxedo Kamen and Usagi stood together beside a small glider, looking back the way they had come in silence.

"Are you alright, Usako?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah. I'm so glad you got there in time, Mamo-chan."

"I promised you, remember?" he smiled, and she responded in kind, then hugged herself to his chest. Tuxedo Kamen let that go on for a little while, enjoying their closeness, which his thoughts returned to something he had sensed earlier.

"Usako..." he began tentatively, not sure how she'll react. "You don't want to fight Demande, do you?"

The blonde girl pulled back, startled, and stared up at her beloved.

"You heard my voice earlier, right?" he said in response to her unspoken question. "I'm starting to get my telepathy powers back. They aren't very strong yet, but with the link we share..."

"So you can read my mind?" Usagi asked, more curious than anything else, though there was a slight twinkle in her eyes.

"Something like that. It's a bit hard to put in words."

Usagi nodded. Her eyes roamed the park around them as she thought. She seemed to have come to a decision a moment later, and looked up at Tuxedo Kamen, her expression determined.

"I don't think Demande's a bad person," she said. "I know he really hates the people of Crystal Tokyo, but...when we were talking before, I kept feeling that that wasn't all there was to him. That maybe, if things had happened differently, we could have been friends..." She shook her head. "But I **will** fight him. I won't let him destroy this world."

Tuxedo Kamen smiled down at her and embraced her gently. "I told you you were strong enough," he said softly. She nodded against his shoulder, and he pulled back, starting to turn towards the palace. "We should get back soon, though. The others will be worried about us."

"Wait, Mamo-chan."

The caped man stopped and turned to look at Usagi, who was blushing a little.

"Is something wrong, Usako?"

"C-can you tell what I'm thinking?" she asked shyly. He gave her a perplexed look...and then he caught on, and let his mind reach out. A moment later, his eyes widened in surprise. Usagi's blush intensified even as she gave him a small smile, and he chuckled.

"Well, I think you're right," he said, pulling off his mask and wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. "It's about damn time." And then he kissed her, their first real kiss, as the snow continued to fall around them.

* * *

The Wiseman's cloaked figure sat before the large, jagged black crystal deep within the citadel's core. It was the source of all the crystals that powered the Black Moon ships, the true Evil Black Crystal, and it was steadily gaining strength. The Wiseman laughed;  
soon, the final step in his plan will be taken, and all shall be engulfed in darkness.

There was a sound of footsteps coming from the main corridor. The floating creature moved over towards the door, which soon slid open with a soft hiss of air. Prince Demande stepped in with Saphir behind him, his cool gaze settling on the seer after a brief glance at the Crystal.

"Prince Demande," the Wiseman greeted him.

"What did you do to Esmeraude, Wiseman?" Demande asked bluntly.

"...She herself requested my aid in attacking the Palace. I merely provided that aid. You, of all people, should understand the need for sacrifice in achieving our goals..."

The white-haired man's eyes narrowed. "There is a difference between sacrifice and needless waste, old man," he said coldly. "My victory would mean nothing if my clan were not here to share in it."

"As the Prince wishes," the Wiseman replied neutrally. "But as it happens, I have a new member of our clan to represent to you...one who will grant us ultimate victory over the people of Crystal Tokyo."

The brothers looked at the robed figure questioningly as the orb in its hands pulsed faintly. A pillar of swirling darkness suddenly appeared behind the Wiseman, stretching up into the gloom and spinning rapidly. Then it broke apart, and standing in its place was a beautiful young woman in a red and black dress, a length of pink silk draped about her shoulders. Her long pink hair was done in two long pigtails, and a black crescent adorned her forehead. She stood nonchalantly before the two men, pride and confidence in her red eyes.

Demande's eyes narrowed. The physical resemblance was unmistakable, but given the hair colour, it could only be... "The Rabbit?"

"Hmmpf!" the young woman huffed contemptuously. "I refuse to be called such a ridiculous name. I am Black Lady, Queen of the Black Moon clan!"

"With Black Lady on our side, the plan I had proposed can now be carried out," the Wiseman rasped. "Take her to the past, Prince Demande, and she will be able to spread the energies of the Black Moon across old Tokyo. When that happens, Crystal Tokyo shall become yours."

"I see." The white-haired prince regarded Black Lady for a long moment, then turned towards the door. "I will call for you when we are ready."

"Brother?" Saphir asked, following Demande out into the corridor. Demande did not answer, moving steadily until the two reached the main hall, where he took his seat, his eyes still distant. Saphir stood in front of the throne, watching his brother intently.

"Brother, surely you don't think the Wiseman is telling the truth? He's just using us, like he did with Esmeraude."

"I know," Demande replied quietly.

"You...what?" The blue-haired man stared incredulously at his brother. "You knew? All along? Then why...?"

"Because we need his power, brother. It is as simple as that." Demande's expression was pensive, his purple eyes still staring into the distance. It was that, more than his words, that stopped Saphir's protests; he hadn't seen that expression on his brother's face for years.

"We alone cannot oppose the Neo Queen directly," Demande went on. "You should remember...we were defeated by her protectors even before she got involved. To try another attack like that would cost our clan too much, and even if we could win, we'd have failed. The Black Crystal's power is the key to winning this war...to winning a true home for our people."

"I know the Wiseman's goals are different from ours, and that he doesn't care the slightest for the fate of our clan. Esmeraude's death was a miscalculation on my part; I'd thought I was sufficiently prepared for his scheming." The prince's eyes hardened, his drive and passion showing once more. "But...that is all the more reason for us to see this through to the end. I will **not** let what we have lost be in vain."

Saphir stood silently as he considered what his brother had just said. It had been a long, long time since they had talked like this; ever since the rebellion, Demande had been consumed by his purpose, always thinking of and planning for their revenge. His strength had kept their clan together in their darkest times...but now Saphir began to realize how much that might have cost his brother.

There was still one question remaining, however. He looked up, noting that Demande had his wine glass once again and was quietly sipping from it.

"And what about the Queen?" he asked.

"...She is a mystery to me," Demande answered. His expression changed as well, as it usually did when he thought of her. His unrelenting drive was still there, but it was mixed with something softer, almost like wonder. "Ever since all this started, she has defied every expectation I had of her. At first, all I wanted was to understand her, to know how she thinks so that I could defeat her..." He smiled ironically. "...but I don't even know myself when that changed. All I know is that I can't rest easy until I understand what I saw in those eyes that day."

"...I understand, brother. I'm sorry I ever doubted you." Saphir stepped back and bowed deeply to Demande. "For you and for our clan, I, Blue Saphir, vow to do my utmost in the coming battles. I will not fail you, brother!"

"Very well." The white-haired prince put down his glass and rose to his feet. Stepping down from the dais, he clapped one hand to Saphir's shoulder. "Watch over this place, brother. I will go and bring an end to all this."

* * *

"Sailor Moon!"

With a cry of relief, Sailor Mars ran out of the palace and grabbed the blonde in a fierce hug, followed quickly by the other Senshi. Smiling, Tuxedo Kamen stepped back out of their way.

"Everyone!" Sailor Moon cried happily. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"So are we!" Jupiter replied, grinning. "We were starting to get worried."

"Yeah, Mars was just about to run out to find you," Venus added slyly.

The Senshi of Flame flushed slightly. "N-no I wasn't! It's not like she's ever not late, anyway..."

"Mars!" Sailor Moon protested. "How could you say that? I was almost...almost...and the first thing you do is pick on me..." She sniffled, fixing the raven-haired girl with teary eyes. Sailor Mars gulped, and started looking around wildly trying to think of a reply. Then she saw that Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Tuxedo Kamen were all smiling. Her eyes widened, and she turned back towards Sailor Moon.

"You...you're doing that on purpose!" Sailor Moon smiled and nodded, then snickered as Mars turned as red as her skirt. "Why you little..."

"I'm only teasing you because I missed you, Rei-chan," the blonde cut in, hugging Mars again. The miko's anger dissipated right then, and after a moment, she hugged her friend back silently.

"How sweet..." Jupiter commented. The others nodded.

"I'm afraid I'll have to interrupt your reunion," a voice said suddenly. King Endymion appeared at the doors of the palace, a grim look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" Mercury asked.

"Small Lady is no longer in the palace."

"What!?" Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen both exclaimed.

"The shield's still working, isn't it?" Venus asked, glancing out towards the barely visible shimmer that encased the Crystal Palace.

"It is," Endymion confirmed. "But nonetheless, I cannot find her anywhere in the building. I think the enemy might have already planted a spell on her before she arrived..."

"Oh no..." Sailor Moon looked anxiously at her friends. "We have to find her!" She turned around and started back down the stairs.

"Sailor Moon, wait!" Mercury called out. "There might be a better way." The blonde stopped, and everyone turned towards Mercury. "Remember what we came here to do?" the blue-haired girl asked them. "We came to help ChibiUsa-chan's mother...Neo Queen Serenity. If the Silver Crystal can wake her, I'm sure she can find ChibiUsa-chan right away. We might even be able to end this war..."

"She has a point," Tuxedo Kamen agreed. "What do you think, Sailor Moon?"

Sailor Moon hesitated briefly, then nodded. "I'll try."

"Follow me then, all of you," King Endymion said. He led the group into the Palace towards the central tower, and from there up to the royal quarters. The Senshi remained quiet as the Neo King pushed open a pair of ornate wooden doors leading into a large, brightly-lit room. There, resting on a crystal-encased marble bed in the center of the room, was a recumbent form dressed in a pristine white dress.

Sailor Moon approached the sleeping figure with a mixture of wonder and trepidation. Neo Queen Serenity looked very much like herself, of course, though there was a maturity to her features that Sailor Moon knew was still missing from her own. All in all, it felt really strange to be seeing her future self like this.

"Go ahead, Sailor Moon," Endymion said quietly. He stood next to her looking wistfully at his sleeping wife, while her friends watched wonderingly from further back.

The blonde Senshi nodded and opened her brooch, revealing the Illusion Silver Crystal. Raising it over her head, she silently commanded it to heal Serenity. The Crystal's light shone brightly and infused the crystal casing...but nothing happened. Sailor Moon kept on trying for several moments more, then finally slumped down to her knees, the Crystal's light fading. Tuxedo Kamen immediately moved forward to support her.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"It...it isn't working," she answered in a trembling voice.

"Only the Silver Crystal of this time can release the Queen." Sailor Moon looked up to see Sailor Pluto standing before them...or rather her image.

"But the Silver Crystal disappeared right before the Black Moon attacked," Endymion replied. "We still don't know what happened to it."

"The truth will be revealed eventually," Pluto assured him. "What is most important now is for you to help Small Lady."

"Where is she?" Sailor Moon asked immediately.

"She has returned to the past." Pluto bowed her head slightly at the blonde. "I cannot say more than I already have, Sailor Moon," she said regretfully. "I can only ask you to do your best to save Small Lady, and pray for your safety."

Sailor Moon nodded in understanding and stood up next to her beloved. The Senshi of Time then raised her staff, the orb at its tip glowing softly. The air before them shimmered, and the Door of Space-Time appeared, open and ready. The remaining Senshi gathered around Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen.

"Good luck, all of you," Endymion said solemnly.

"Don't worry," Sailor Moon replied. "We'll definitely get ChibiUsa back!" She looked around, exchanging reassuring smiles with her friends, then turned resolutely towards the portal. Tuxedo Kamen's hand was gripped tightly in her own, their feelings passing through their bond without the need for words. And then as one, they all stepped into the portal.

* * *

It was becoming late in the evening, the sun having set a few hours earlier. Sin leaned wearily against the wall behind her, still dressed in her school uniform, her bag resting at her feet.

She still wasn't sure whether she could go ahead with what she had planned. Anshar certainly would not forgive her, if he knew, nor would her friends. But there was no choice anymore; she had tried everything else that she could think of already, and failed. A bitter smile appeared briefly on her face. She could curse whatever fates had done this to her, but that would accomplish nothing.

A sudden black blur in front of her made her jump back with a gasp of surprise. Looking down, she saw a small black cat with a crescent-shaped mark and an equally surprised expression. Smiling faintly, she bent down and picked it up. The cat meowed at her, almost as if asking what she was doing in front of the Tsukino home.

"Hey there...Luna, was it?" Sin said softly, cradling the cat in her arms. "You must be lonely without Usagi-chan, aren't you?" The cat gave her another surprised look, and she giggled. "You know, I'd have liked to have a pet. You can talk to them when something troubles you, and they'll listen...kind of...and won't talk back." Luna sweatdropped at that, but Sin didn't notice, her mood growing pensive as she stared at the rising moon.

She made a decision then, and knelt down, setting Luna on the ground. "So what do you think, Luna?" she asked. "Could I borrow you from Usagi-chan? Just for now?"

The black cat hopped down from her arms and turned, her strangely un-feline eyes staring up quizzically at the blonde girl. Then she sat down on her haunches, as if ready to listen. Sin smiled a bit before her expression became thoughtful again.

"I'm an orphan, you know," she started. "My parents died not long after my brother was born, and our adoptive parents died in an accident some time later. All I have now is Anshar...but...I might not to be able to see him again."

Her voice was trembling a little, and her eyes were wet now, but she held the tears back. "He's really sweet for a little brother, you know? He smiles a lot, and he gets along with almost everyone. A bit timid, even...but I didn't mind that. I wanted to protect him, I wanted us to always be together...but..."

Sin paused a moment to wipe her eyes. Luna was still watching her with a mixture of sympathy and awkwardness, unsure of how she had gotten herself in this situation. But when the blonde resumed speaking, there was an edge of resignation in her tone that drew Luna's attention immediately.

"There's still one way to get him back, though," she said softly. "There's one thing I can still use to get Anshar back...and I will do it, even if he ends up hating me for it." She stood and reached into her shirt, as Luna watched in growing alarm. Her hand touched a brooch shaped like an inverted heart, and a surge of energy coursed through her, vaporizing her clothes and replacing them with a black and purple bodysuit. A pair of golden rings encircled her arms, and a black crescent appeared on her forehead, completing the change.

Sin looked down one last time at Luna, who was gaping at her in shock. She gave the cat a forlorn smile, as the tears at the corner of her eyes glittered in the pale moonlight.

"Tell Usagi-chan I'm sorry..."

* * *

With a faint, chime-like sound, the Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen appeared out of thin air. They were in a currently deserted plaza in the Azabu-Juuban area. The moon had just risen, and the sound of cars passing could be heard in the distance. Sailor Mars immediately frowned, looking around warily.

"Something's wrong, guys," she said. "I can feel dark energy all around us."

"Are we too late?" Jupiter asked grimly.

"No," Mars replied. "It's not very strong yet...but its spread all over the place. If it gets too much stronger, then..."

"I think I've pinpointed the source," Mercury said, looking up from her computer. "It's several blocks east of this place."

"Do you think ChibiUsa could be there?" Sailor Moon asked worriedly.

"Probably, if the enemy has her," Venus guessed. "Come on, let's check it out!"

The girls nodded and started running in the direction Mercury had pointed out, with Tuxedo Kamen close behind. The streets were empty and quiet, and as they moved forward, a sense of oppressive power became evident even to the less spiritually sensitive Senshi. There was also a subtle darkening of the air before them, barely noticeable in the night sky.

"There!" Mercury called out, pointing. The Senshi stopped and stared at the huge shape looming over the buildings two streets away. It was a jagged crystal close to twenty meters high, its black facets gleaming and and crackling with purplish energy.

"Where did something like **that** come from!?" Jupiter exclaimed. Before anyone could respond, the sound of laughter rang out of nowhere. A swirl of darkness appeared in the air above them.

"**That** is the sign of the Black Moon's ultimate victory," a feminine voice declared. "When the Evil Black Crystal reaches its full power, this world will fall under the dominion of our clan, and Crystal Tokyo will be ours before it is even built!"

"Who's there?" Venus demanded. The Senshi readied themselves for battle, as the shadows dispersed to reveal Black Lady floating nonchalantly in the air. She was staring at Sailor Moon with a strange mixture of contempt and wariness. The blonde held her gaze for a moment, and then gasped.

"Ch-chibiUsa!?"

"Oh, not so empty-headed after all!" The pink-haired girl landed and sneered at Sailor Moon. "But I'm no longer that helpless child, Sailor Moon. I am Black Lady, Queen of the Black Moon!" Sailor Moon's heart sank.

"Snap out of it, ChibiUsa!" Tuxedo Kamen shouted. "You're under an enemy spell!"

Black Lady laughed derisively at that. Taking hold of her shawl, she snapped the pink cloth towards the Senshi, unleashing a wave of darkness that knocked all of them back.

"ChibiUsa, don't do this!" Sailor Moon implored. Black Lady ignored her and lashed out with the shawl again, cutting up the ground as Sailor Moon barely dodged her attacks.

"SHABON SPRAY!"

A sudden mist enveloped the area as Mercury's attack took effect, and Black Lady stopped her assault.

"Sailor Moon! We have to fight back!" Mars called out.

"But I **can't**!" Sailor Moon wailed. "I can't hurt ChibiUsa!"

"Well that's too bad, Sailor Moon," Black Lady's voice came out of the fog. "Because I **will** hurt **you**!" The air began to move, faster and faster, taking the mist with it. Soon the Senshi could see Black Lady, who was twirling her shawl rapidly, forming a black cyclone that sucked the mist away. With a snap, she unleashed the gathered energy and sent the Senshi sprawling again.

"Time's up, Sailor Moon!" she declared triumphantly as her shawl began to glow purple with dark energy. Flicking her arm forward, she sent the pink cloth towards Sailor Moon, its charged end sharp as a blade. Before it could reach its target, however, a rose struck it and pinned it to the ground. Everyone looked up to see Tuxedo Kamen standing atop a lamp post.

"A child's innocent heart is like a budding flower; without the light of love, it will fade and die. Can't you see that you're being deceived, ChibiUsa?"

"Shut up!" Black Lady ripped her shawl free of the rose and swept it towards Tuxedo Kamen, who let it wrap around his cane and held it, keeping her from disengaging.

"Sailor Moon!" he shouted. "Use the Crystal! Heal her!"

"Oh...right!" Sailor Moon pulled her brooch free and held it above her, revealing the Silver Crystal. She looked at Black Lady and prepared to activate the Crystal...and almost dropped it in astonishment as the pink-haired girl recoiled from her with a look of fear in her eyes.

"No!" she screamed, her shawl dropping from her trembling hands. "D-don't...Stay away from me!"

"ChibiUsa?" Confused, Sailor Moon lowered the brooch and started forward. Immediately, Black Lady recoiled further, almost cowering. Her terrified, tear-filled red eyes, however, remained locked with Sailor Moon's, and the blonde felt her heart wrench at the sight.

"Please!" the pink-haired girl pleaded hysterically. "Please stay away...don't hurt me...don't destroy me...please!"

"D-destroy you?" Sailor Moon repeated, shocked. "ChibiUsa, no! I'm just going to heal you..." She took another step forward, and again Black Lady cried out and shrank away, her pleas for mercy mixed with nearly incoherent babbling. The others had by then gathered around Sailor Moon, and were watching in uncomprehending shock.

"What's wrong with her?" Venus asked.

"Maybe it's because of the spell the enemy used..." Mercury suggested.

"ChibiUsa..." Tuxedo Kamen tried to approach the cowering girl, but she cried out and recoiled from him as well, and he quickly backed away.

"It is useless..." a rasping voice said smugly. The air behind Black Lady shimmered, and the Wiseman's cloaked form appeared before them. "You can do nothing, Sailor Senshi..."

"What have you done to her!?" Tuxedo Kamen demanded angrily.

"Very little...merely a memory cast in a different light, and all else falls into place..." The image laughed. "Truthfully, I might have done without this change; a child's mind is no great barrier, even one as protected as hers..."

"Then why did you do this to her, you monster!?" Sailor Moon screamed, tears running down her cheeks.

"Insurance, Sailor Moon," the Wiseman replied calmly. "You have proven more resourceful than most would expect, after all. But now, the one thing, the one person who can free her, is what she fears most of all, and thus my plans will not be foiled. Death Phantom **shall** rise." It paused, one claw-like hand reaching out and grasping Black Lady by the shoulder, raising her up from her crouched position. "Her body has matured with the power of the Black Crystal," it went on slyly, "but her mind is still that of a child. Think then, Sailor Moon, of the scars her terror shall inflict should you force the Silver Crystal upon her...assuming it does not drive her insane first."

The cloaked figure laughed, even as Sailor Moon stood transfixed by Black Lady's still-terrified eyes, which confirmed the truth of the Wiseman's words. 'No...' she thought desperately. 'This can't be true...ChibiUsa, don't look at me like that!' Her heart was pounding rapidly, and a wave of choking despair crashed into her, making it hard to breathe, hard to think. Unconsciously, she had begun to hyperventilate, and her eyes danced wildly, trying to escape the image of terrified red eyes burned into them. She felt like she was in quicksand, unable to move, slowly sinking...drowning...

SLAP!

Sailor Moon reeled slightly from the sharp blow across her cheek, as the world seemed to come back into focus. Surprised, she saw Sailor Mars standing in front of her, and no sign of Black Lady or the Wiseman.

"Sorry, Sailor Moon," Mars apologized softly. "You weren't responding to us at all just now, so..."

The blonde stared at the raven-haired girl for a moment as her thoughts cleared...and then her tears began to fall, and she collapsed to her knees, deep, heaving sobs wracking her small body. Tuxedo Kamen immediately knelt and held her trembling form, his own eyes wet behind his mask.

"Will she be alright?" Jupiter asked worriedly.

"Yeah..." the dark-haired man replied. "Just let her cry it out." He pulled off his mask and quickly wiped at his own eyes, his other still wrapped around Sailor Moon. "I'll stay here with her," he continued. "You girls should go home and check in with your families, and get some rest...I think we all need that."

The Senshi exchanged worried glances, but eventually they all nodded and headed home. Alone in the night, Tuxedo Kamen continued to hold his beloved, whispering comforting words as she cried, his heart heavy as he considered the obstacle they now had to face...

* * *

Demande stood on a rooftop some distance from the Evil Black Crystal, watching as the mass continued to grow. There were helicopters and police cars moving around it, but those were insignificant. In fact, this entire world of the past was vastly different from the one he'd known, though unlike Rubeus and Oniko, he did not see it as primitive. Still, it made him wonder at the changes that had occurred between now and the thirtieth century...and the impact his current actions might have. There was movement to his left, and Black Lady appeared beside him, showing no signs of what she had just been through.

"The Sailor Senshi have returned to this time as well," she said simply.

Demande nodded. "Focus on powering up the Black Crystal," he told her. "So long as they do not interfere, we will have our victory."

"Oh? I must say I'm surprised the great Prince Demande would take such a passive stance," Black Lady said mockingly. "Or perhaps you would never have been able to hurt her to begin with?"

"I am not the only one who should be asked that question," he replied evenly. The pink-haired girl scowled at him, wondering whether he knew of what had happened.

"Hmmpf. Very well, Prince Demande," she agreed grudgingly. "We will spread the power of the Evil Black Crystal...not only Tokyo, but the Earth itself will fall before us." So saying, she disappeared, returning to her place at the heart of the Black Crystal. Demande continued to watch as the dark mass glowed more brightly, and the movements of the humans around it grew more frenetic.

"Indeed," he said to himself. "And then we shall see who wins, Wiseman..."

* * *

"Are you okay, Usako?"

Usagi nodded and sat up from her position leaning against Mamoru. They were sitting on a bench some distance from the site of their battle; Tuxedo Kamen had moved the two of them as the police and others started filtering in towards the Black Crystal. The two had de-transformed at some point, though neither was paying much attention to that.

"I'll be fine, Mamo-chan," she said, her voice still a bit hoarse. "It's just...I wasn't ready for that, that's all."

"Who would be?" he replied sadly, then continued in a firmer tone. "But we'll find a way to get through to her, Usako. That Wiseman might think he's found the perfect defense, but I believe in you...in all of us. We'll figure something out."

Usagi nodded, smiling wanly at Mamoru. Then she let out a huge yawn, and he chuckled. "Well, we won't get much done half-asleep," he said. "I'll call Jadeite and Athan when I get home, but I think we all need a good night's sleep." He stood up and offered her his hand. "Shall I take you home?"

The blonde shook her head. "I'll be okay, Mamo-chan, it isn't that far. Besides, you haven't had any more rest than me, have you?"

"I guess not. Goodnight, then." The young man leaned in and gave his girlfriend a quick kiss on the cheek, then headed off with a last wave goodbye.

Usagi watched him go, then turned and started walking towards her own home, trying not to dwell too much on what was ahead. Halfway there, however, she was startled to see Luna racing towards her.

"Luna?"

"Usagi-chan! Oh, I'm so glad you're safe!"

"But how did you know I was back?" the blonde asked as she picked up her guardian. "Did the girls call you?"

The cat shook her head. "Actually, I was on my way to see Artemis, I didn't know you were back...but I'm glad I found you. Something terrible just happened!"

Usagi froze, her heart sinking again. "What?"

"The enemy has Shingo!"

To be continued...


	8. Ch8: Tears' Rain

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: I exist! :D Well, I guess saying I'm late would be an understatement at this point, so I'll just keep this short. My sincerest apologies to anyone who was waiting for this. As for the story, I'm almost done the next part as well, and with that it will be complete. Hopefully it won't disappoint anyone...but if it does, I'd love to hear your comments and improve what I can. Also, I suggest re-reading the previous chapters before coming to this one.

* * *

**Through Storm-Cloud Eyes**

Part 8: Tears' Rain

by JG Chan

_The black crystal wedge heaved and buckled, growing steadily larger as energy poured into it from Black Lady's outstretched arms. Demande stood not far behind her, watching intently, as the sun descended slowly towards the horizon. As the Wiseman had claimed, the power flowing from the pink-haired woman indeed strengthened the crystal at an incredible speed. Far from quieting the Prince's doubts, however, this made him wonder all the more at the secret the Rabbit possessed, that had made the Wiseman so intent on her capture._

_His thoughts returned to the past, to the time when he and his clan had first set foot on the lightless world of Nemesis. The enigmatic creature known as the Wiseman had already been there, and had appeared before Demande soon after their arrival. His offer had been alluring, certainly; the power of his Black Crystal, which thrived in the darkness of their prison, had been a promise of eventual victory over the Neo Queen's legendary Silver Crystal. The fact that its power had also easily attuned to the latent energies of the Black Moon Clan had been seen as a sign of destiny, and initially even Demande himself thought of the Wiseman as a real ally._

_As time had passed, however, the strangeness of some of the Wiseman's actions had begun to raise his suspicions. Though these had been vague at first, by the time the day of invasion approached, Demande knew with certainty that the Wiseman's plans and involvement went much further than it let on. He had chosen to take the risk then, knowing that the time would come when they would confront each other...and it looked like the time was not far off..._

_The sound of voices reached his ears, and he turned to see Sin and Oniko further down the street. The blonde's eyes flickered frequently between Demande and the black-haired woman, distress clearly visible within them. His eyes narrowed in thought. The girl's offer to atone for her perceived 'treachery' had been reported to him by the Wiseman, during the initial battle against Crystal Tokyo. He had been fully occupied then, and hadn't paid too much attention to it, but now he began to wonder if there had been more to that as well. At that moment, however, Sin abruptly turned and left, while Oniko returned with a slight smirk on her face._

_"It was nothing, my Lord," the woman said smoothly in response to Demande's questioning glance. "She only wanted to report on her progress, but she could see that you were occupied."_

_"I see," he replied neutrally. His gaze briefly lingered on Sin's disappearing form, and then his focus returned to the growing Black Crystal. One way or another, everything will come to an end soon enough..._

* * *

Sin sat patiently at the edge of the warehouse roof, waiting. This area of Tokyo was deserted at night, and so there would be no one around to interfere. Dim lights illuminated small areas in the open rooftop, though she could see well enough without them. Behind her, Shingo Tsukino was tied securely to a large pipe, still unconscious. There was no need for the boy to know what was going to happen.

A brief glint of light on metal caught her eyes, and the black-clad girl quickly jumped to her feet, looking around warily. 'Did someone follow me here?' she wondered. Prince Demande probably wouldn't have, but Oniko was another matter. Or perhaps one of Sailor Moon's friends had spotted her...

Her ears caught a sound then; a patter of running feet, punctuated by the whooshing of air that accompanied superhuman leaps. The blonde's expression tensed, and she moved to the center of the roof, not far from where Shingo was. It was earlier than she had expected, but she was ready.

Sure enough, a moment later Sailor Moon landed on the roof, with Luna following close behind her. She had a slightly shocked look on her face, as if she couldn't believe what was going on. Sin held her ground and forced herself to remain detached. She only had this one chance left. "You came earlier than I expected...Sailor Moon."

"Nana-chan...why?" the blonde Senshi asked, clearly distressed. She came to within five meters of Sin and stopped, her eyes darted back and forth between the girl and her unconscious brother.

"Because I want my brother back," Sin answered honestly, "and the only thing I can exchange for him is the Silver Crystal."

"But Shingo's innocent!" Sailor Moon protested. "How would your brother feel if he knew about this? If you really love him that much, you..."

"It's **precisely** because I love him that I'm doing this!" the Black Moon warrior snapped. "I know Anshar won't like this...maybe he won't ever forgive me. But what does that matter if I can never see him again!?" She roughly wiped her tears away, angry that she had let them come out. "There is no other way," she said in a quieter voice. "Every other option I had is gone now."

"Then let us help you!" Sailor Moon implored, sadness mingled with worry in her eyes. "I can explain what's going on to my friends, and we'll all help you get your brother back. Nana-chan, you don't have to do this!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Sailor Moon," Sin replied bitterly. "Do you really think I hadn't thought of that before? But this is the Wiseman we're talking about...he'll kill Anshar if I try anything. Would you risk that?" She raised her right hand, and pointed it at Shingo's bound form. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Luna had snuck around to the boy and had begun biting at the ropes, but she wasn't worried; she would always hit her mark. "Would you risk attacking me now," she asked intently, "knowing I could kill Shingo before you could beat me?"

Sailor Moon froze, as Sin expected she would. But there was something strange about her expression...the distress was coupled with recognition, as if the Senshi had already been struggling with a similar dilemma. Her blue eyes lingered on Shingo, but also seemed distant, as if her thoughts were elsewhere. Perplexed, Sin was about to go ahead and offer an exchange when Sailor Moon spoke suddenly.

"I would."

Both Luna and Sin gasped. "You...what?" the Black Moon warrior asked incredulously.

"I would try," Sailor Moon repeated firmly. Her eyes were clear and resolute, gazing steadily at the girl before her and making Sin gulp. What had changed? "No matter how dangerous it might be, I have to try...because if I hesitate, then I will truly lose what's important to me. And I can't allow that."

"...Aren't you afraid of what'll happen if you fail?" Sin asked shakily.

Sailor Moon nodded solemnly. "I am," she said softly. "How could I not be? I'm not smart or strong like my friends. When I first decided that I would try, I was terrified...but I thought that, if I could be brave and face my fear, I would pull through somehow. But that's not all anymore."

The blonde Senshi smiled then, a pure and dazzling smile, full of confidence and warmth. Fascinated, Sin's stance faltered, her arm dropping slightly from its threatening position.

"I'm not afraid anymore," Sailor Moon went on, "because I believe. I believe in myself, in my friends, in Mamo-chan, in ChibiUsa...I believe in all of our hearts, and I know they believe in me." She extended her hand towards Sin, still smiling. "And I believe in you too, Nana-chan. You won't hurt Shingo."

At the mention of her hostage, Sin seemed to come back to her senses. Looking towards the boy, she raised her arm once more, but Sailor Moon only waited, watching her calmly. Time passed in silence as the two girls faced each other across the irregularly lit roof, until at last Sin lowered her arm with a sigh.

"Looks like you're right, Usagi-chan," she said sadly. "I can't hurt him after all..." She raised her head and faced Sailor Moon, hopelessness evident in her expression. "That means there's only one way for me to get the Silver Crystal, isn't there?"

The Black Moon warrior assumed a fighting stance. Sailor Moon did likewise, crossing her arms before her chest. "If you feel you must..." she said calmly. Sin nodded imperceptibly, and charged. It was time to put an end to this...

* * *

Makoto opened the door to her apartment and stepped in, suppressing a yawn. It had been a very long day, and it didn't help that her sense of time was a bit skewed because of their time-traveling. She took off her shoes and headed for the bedroom, not bothering to turn on the lights. All she wanted was to have a quick shower and then fall into bed.

Unexpectedly, her foot encountered something as she crossed the living room, and she stumbled, almost falling forward. At the same time, there was a startled grunt from the floor. "Wha...who's there?"

Makoto blinked. "Ken?"

There was a sound of fumbling hands, and then the lamp on the table came on. A young man with short, tousled brown hair stared back into Makoto's surprised eyes, halfway out of his sleeping bag.

"Mako-chan!" he exclaimed. "Oh I'm so glad you're back!"

"Ken? What are you doing here?"

"Ah...well..." Kenta hesitated. "Ryo-kun told me what happened to you guys, since I already knew you were Sailor Jupiter and all...and I thought that maybe I should come over and keep an eye on the place, you know, since no one was here...and don't worry, I didn't go into your room or make a mess or anything...um..."

"Oh." Makoto stared at her best friend for a moment, then smiled. "Well, thanks. That was thoughtful of you."

"No problem," he replied. A short pause followed, and then he went on. "So...does that big crystal that just appeared have anything to do with you guys?"

The brunette nodded tiredly. "Yeah...but it's a really long story, and I'm exhausted. We'll talk tomorrow, alright?"

"Mako-chan...if things are getting harder, I could come with you and help..."

"Ken, no!" Makoto protested immediately. "We talked about this last time, I can't let you do that! This is my duty, but you...if anything ever happened to you..."

"Do you think I'd feel any better if anything happened to you?" Kenta retorted hotly. "You're my...my best friend. I know I can't ask you to stop being a Sailor Senshi, but just sitting here waiting while you risk your life, I...I..."

His words trailed off in a frustrated groan, and Makoto sank wearily into the couch next to him. She did understand his feelings, and she couldn't say for sure that she wouldn't have felt the same, if their roles had been reversed. 'But what can I do about it!?' she thought, grimacing with frustration. 'It's too dangerous! If...if only I hadn't transformed in front of you...but then sempai might have...'

"I'm sorry, Mako-chan," Kenta said softly after a moment. "I'm just making things harder, aren't I? I shouldn't have said that at a time like this."

"Ken..." She gazed at him, her expression warm yet undecided. Then she smiled and shook her head. "It's okay, Ken, I understand...but not now, alright? I promise we'll talk about it later."

He nodded, and Makoto rose from the couch and started back towards her bedroom, murmuring a quiet goodnight. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it for a moment, hearing the lamp flicking off and the rustle of the sleeping bag. A sigh escaped her lips; it was times like these that made her miss being a normal girl, worrying about homework and dates instead of fighting monsters. But...that wasn't going to happen, and she had people to protect.

Exhaling deeply, the brunette set aside her worries and headed for the dresser, intent on getting the rest she needed. And that's when her communicator beeped.

* * *

Luna watched anxiously as the two girls prepared to fight. She had been very surprised by Sailor Moon's calmness, something she had almost never seen before in the young girl. Even now, as Sin's hands suddenly encased themselves in dark blue fire, she seemed unfazed and ready.

"LAPIS SWIFTLET!"

The homing waves of energy flew out from Sin's hands as the girl dashed forward, curving in unerringly towards Sailor Moon, who remained still, arms crossed before her. As Luna was about to shout a warning, however, motes of white light suddenly gathered around the blonde Senshi, illuminating the warehouse roof. The energy waves impacted harmlessly against this nimbus, as Sailor Moon called out her own attack.

"MOON STARDUST FLASH!"

As Sailor Moon flung her arms outwards, the gathered light blasted forward, scoring a direct hit on the startled Black Moon warrior, who flew back several feet before falling to the ground. She remained there, unmoving, for some time, as the light around Sailor Moon disappeared, and the Senshi approached her fallen opponent.

"Nana-chan?" she called out softly, kneeling beside the dazed girl. Sin responded with a pained grunt, and opened her eyes.

"Damn...that was pathetic..." she said shakily. Her voice, though bitter, was muted by despair. She raised her head a little before slumping down again, breathing heavily. "I've lost...completely."

"Nana-chan, please," Sailor Moon implored. "Let us help you! I'm sure if we all worked together, we can get your brother back safely."

Sin mentally snorted at Sailor Moon's optimism, though the sudden exhaustion that had come over her at the realization of her defeat kept her from doing the same physically. Getting her arms under herself, she started sitting up, and that's when she heard it: the faint sound of whooshing air characteristic of teleportation.

"Sailor Moon, watch out!" Luna shouted, just as Sin lunged up and forward in a burst of desperate energy, pushing the surprised Senshi with her. Several black throwing knives clattered against the roof behind them, and one struck Sin in the calf. With a low cry of pain, she collapsed again, as Oniko landed smoothly not far from them.

"Oho...saving the enemy now? I always knew you would betray us," Oniko said smugly. She raised several more of her knives, which began to glow with a sickly dark energy.

"You followed me?" Sin asked darkly, clutching her leg. Seeing the wound, Sailor Moon started to rise, intending to get between Oniko and the injured girl. However, before she could take a step, she fell back onto her knees as exhaustion finally caught up with her.

"My, how convenient," Oniko gloated. "You've done all of my work for me already, and all I need to do is finish you off. But first, let's get rid of all the excess baggage..." So saying she raised her arm, aiming not at either of the girls, but at Luna and the still unconscious and bound Shingo. The move drew a shocked gasp from Sailor Moon, and no one noticed the sudden movement further on the roof.

"No!" she cried out, desperately willing her legs to move. "They have nothing to do with this!" She watched in horror as Oniko ignored her and swung, four knives flying towards the helpless boy. Luna sprang upwards in response, hoping to knock aside as many of the projectiles as she could. It was a move born of desperation, though, as all of them could tell that if even one knife struck...

There was a dull thud as the black cat collided with polished steel armour, followed by the clink of metal as three of the knives did the same and fell harmlessly to the ground. The last one embedded itself into Athan's shoulder, but did little to slow down his swing. His heavy black spear whirled forward and gouged deeply into Oniko's side, ripping through flesh and knocking the Black Moon warrior down on one knee.

For a long moment all seemed at a standstill, Oniko's laboured breathing the only sound to break the shocked silence. Finally, the black-haired woman gathered enough strength to stand, one hand pressed against her bleeding wound. "Damn you all..." she growled, giving Athan and the two girls a venomous glare before retreating back into a portal. Sailor Moon sighed in relief, and managed to stand up and walk unsteadily towards Athan.

"Onii-chan, are you alright?" she asked, cringing a little as he pulled the bloody knife out of his shoulder.

"I'll be fine," he answered simply.

"Sailor Moon!"

The two turned to see the rest of the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen running towards them. Sailor Moon called out to them, and soon found herself held tightly in her protector's arms. Athan smiled faintly at the sight, and went over to untie Shingo.

"Oh Usako, I'm so sorry, I should have gotten here sooner," he said breathlessly. "Are you alright?" The other Senshi crowded around her as well, worried looks on their faces.

"I'm fine, guys," Sailor Moon reassured them, then told them what had happened earlier.

"So what'll we do about her?" Mars asked quietly at the end, gesturing towards Sin. The blonde's injured leg was being examined by Sailor Mercury, but she had been following the conversation silently.

"Do what you want," she replied dejectedly, lowering her eyes. "There's nothing I can do anymore, anyway." Sailor Moon looked sadly at her erstwhile opponent, then around at her friends.

"I want to help her," she said seriously. Sin's eyes widened slightly in surprise on hearing that, though she showed no other reaction. "None of this has been her fault," Sailor Moon continued, "and even if it were, I can't just abandon her like that."

"You wouldn't be you otherwise, huh?" Jupiter remarked with a smile.

"I'm up for it," Venus agreed. "Plus, she might be able to tell us more about the Black Moon clan."

They were interrupted by a quiet cough, and turned to see Athan holding the sleeping Shingo. "Whatever your plans are, I'd say getting some rest should come first," he suggested, passing the boy to Tuxedo Kamen. "I'll take the girl to the mansion for tonight."

The Senshi nodded, fully aware of how long they've been without sleep. After a quick promise to meet at the shrine the next day, they all went their own way, with Tuxedo Kamen taking Shingo home along with Sailor Moon. Athan watched them go for a moment, then spoke softly without turning. "Are you alright, Luna?"

The black cat emerged from the shadows where she had been quietly waiting for some time. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, her tone slightly hesitant. "You?"

"It's nothing to worry about."

"I see..." She looked away briefly, before taking a deep breath and going on. "...Thank you, Athan. For tonight, and for giving me time to sort things out on my own. I'll tell Usagi-chan everything tomorrow."

The man nodded solemnly, his faint smile showing a hint of affection from a near-forgotten childhood. Turning, he made his way over to where Sin was sitting against the wall, watching the exchange with mild interest. Soon they too were gone, leaving Luna to make her way home in contemplative silence.

* * *

"O nothingness, swear fealty to the true power of the universe, the all-knowing Death Phantom. Foolish Demande, chase your fleeting dream and sow chaos upon the world, that Death Phantom may cleanse it with the silence of the void..."

The Wiseman's rasping litany went on, but Saphir was soon beyond hearing as he hurried away from the room, his mind in turmoil. Though his brother was aware of the Wiseman's duplicity, the words he had heard just now suggested that it may be far more dangerous than they had imagined. If that was the case, Saphir felt it was his duty to find out the truth, and inform Demande as soon as possible.

His steps soon brought him to the chamber of the Black Crystal deep within the floating citadel. Resting atop a wide marble pedestal, the jagged mass of crystalline points pulsed with dark energy. 'The same power that allowed us to get this far...' Saphir grudgingly admitted to himself. 'But what would be the price?'

The convenient compatibility between the Crystal and his clan had not escaped his notice, either. Was that a property of the Crystal? Or had the Wiseman altered it to appear as such? Even now, despite such extensive exposure to its energies, he could not fathom all of the Black Crystal's secrets. Only the Wiseman knew, and that gave it a dangerous advantage.

Saphir's musings were interrupted when something caught his eye; a power cable, no different in appearance from the others connected to that particular node, but whose destination seemed off somehow. Moving in for a closer look, his suspicions were confirmed: it did not pass through the wall like the others did, but instead snaked into the shadows of an inconspicuous alcove at the back of the room. Having supervised the construction of this chamber, the Black Moon's second prince immediately knew something was amiss.

Closer inspection revealed that the alcove was occupied by a fairly large block of black crystal and metal, with the cable running out of the bottom. It bore some similarity with other devices used by the Black Moon clan, but was strange enough that Saphir couldn't quickly tell what it's function was. He did notice the various sensor plates and buttons built into it, though, and soon the top of the block rose with a hiss and moved aside...and Saphir almost fell back in shock at the sight of its contents.

"Some things are better left undiscovered..." an unmistakable voice rasped behind him, jerking him out of his daze. He spun around and saw the Wiseman floating between him and the exit.

"**You!**" the blue-haired man's voice was filled with rage. "What kind of despicable creature are you!?"

"Despicable?" A ghostly chuckle echoed forth from the shadows beneath the purple cowl. "Judge me not by the values of your kind. The living are a stain upon the purity of eternal nothingness, a stain the mighty Death Phantom shall soon remove...permanently."

"Who is Death Phantom?" Saphir asked tensely, backing away towards the alcove.

"The true ruler of the universe, foolish Saphir. Death Phantom is the darkness that existed before time and shall exist after it crumbles into nothing. You pawns of the Black Moon can never understand Its greatness, though you have done well in planting the seed of Its coming."

"So at last you admit your true motives, Wiseman," Saphir said coldly. "My brother and I will **not** allow you to toy with our clan any longer."

"Confessions to the dead change nothing." And with that, a beam of energy burst forth from the Wiseman's orb, aimed at Saphir's heart.

* * *

FRIDAY

"Usagi-chan..."

The blonde girl immediately bounced up from under the covers. "WAAH! I'm gonna be late, I'm gonna be..."

"Usagi-chan!" Luna repeated more forcefully, stopping Usagi in mid-panic. "It's already ten o'clock. Besides, schools are closed today, and the police warned people in the area to stay at home, if possible."

"Did...did something happen?" the blonde asked worriedly.

"The Black Crystal's still growing, that's all," the cat reassured her, hopping onto the dresser as she spoke. "Nothing critical's happened yet, but the city doesn't know that, so they're running around confused. Still, we don't have that much time..."

Usagi nodded. Now that she had calmed down, the events of the past few days came back to her in a rush. She still couldn't really wrap her head around the changes and revelations their trip to the future had brought, though surprisingly, she wasn't as scared as she'd expected to be. Had it been what she had said to Sin the night before that gave her strength? As that thought crossed her mind, Usagi glanced up at a picture hanging on the wall, showing herself, her parents, and Shingo in front of their house...and until recently, ChibiUsa as well. She felt a tightening in her heart as she recalled their first encounter with Black Lady. 'How could anyone have done something so terrible to such a young child?' she wondered. 'What can I do to save her...?'

"Are you alright, Usagi-chan?" Luna asked after the blonde had been silent for a while.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm okay..." Usagi replied, shaking off her gloomy thoughts. She got up from her bed and started looking for her clothes. "We're going to meet everyone at the shrine, right? I shouldn't be late for that, at least..."

"...Usagi-chan, could I talk to you for a bit, first?"

Usagi nodded, wondering at the rare uncertainty in Luna's voice and demeanor as the cat sat on the dresser, eyes slightly averted. In fact, as she thought back over the year since they've met, this was the first time Luna had displayed such...vulnerability to her. At that moment, she felt a surge of caring for her mentor and friend, and her eyes conveyed as much as she waited for the cat to speak.

Luna, for her part, felt herself quickly relax as Usagi somehow understood her feelings before she had even spoken. It made her marvel once more at the power of this fifteen-year-old girl's heart, and at how it has kept growing through each of the trials that have been forced on her in such a short time. Her fears thus dispelled, Luna began her story, pouring out all of her hidden thoughts and emotions from that fateful day, when Athan had killed Serenity's father...

* * *

"Of all days to be late yet **again**..." Rei grumbled out of habit as she sat on the verandah outside her room. It was going on towards noon, though the sky was overcast with dark, brooding clouds. Minako and Artemis were sitting beside her, while Ami, Makoto, and Mamoru were talking quietly around the table inside. Sin sat morosely against the far wall under the watchful eyes of Jadeite, who had brought her to the shrine a little earlier. The television in the corner showed various reports about the mysterious black crystal mass that had appeared in the middle of Tokyo, but so far no one had any idea of its true nature.

"Chill out, Rei-chan," Minako said, suppressing a yawn. "We can't help it if we need more sleep."

"It isn't any easier for those of us who have to drag you out here," Artemis remarked drily, before getting up and heading inside. "Anything new?"

"Not really," Makoto replied, glancing at the television. "They're all still making guesses at what the Black Crystal is. Seems like they can't get within a hundred meters of it, and most of the instruments they've tried to use on it just broke down." She made a face. "Not like **we** know that much more."

"Speaking of which, Athan went out to investigate it this morning," Jadeite told them.

"I'll probably try to look into it as well later," Mamoru concurred. "But what about his injury?"

"It didn't seem to bother him," Jadeite shrugged. "You don't live so long by being careless, so I'm sure he knows what he's doing."

"How about you, Enzu-san?" Ami asked suddenly, drawing everyone's attention to their silent 'captive'. "Do you know anything about the Black Crystal?"

Sin hesitated briefly, then sighed. "Not much, really," she answered. "I only know that it somehow gave us our powers, and that it's a very important part of the Wiseman's plans. That's all..."

"You don't seem like you agree with Demande and the rest of them..." Mamoru noted, watching her carefully. Sure enough, she tensed at his words and opened her mouth to protest before she stopped herself, unsure of what to say. When she finally did speak, her voice had little edge to it.

"I...don't know anymore," she admitted. "I believe in Demande-sama. Everyone in our clan does. He's devoted his entire being to giving us a place where we belong...but..." She lapsed into silence, while her listeners glanced at each other, wondering how to proceed.

"Still, from what Usagi-chan's told us, you don't seem to hate the people of Crystal Tokyo as much as they do," Ami remarked.

"No, I guess not," Sin replied. "Probably because we're too young to remember the war like they do, and because of our parents."

"Your parents?" Makoto repeated questioningly.

"Our...real parents died in the war," Sin explained softly. "But we were adopted by a doctor couple from Crystal Tokyo. When the Black Moon clan was exiled, they volunteered to go along as medical officers, and afterwards they secretly convinced the escort to let them stay behind." The blonde allowed herself a wistful smile as she reminisced. "Later, they told us that they had wanted to do what they can to bring the Black Moon clan back together with the people of Earth, to live in peace with everyone. They said that that would have been what 'that person' wanted for us, and everyone." She paused for a trembling breath, her smile gone. "But as you see, it didn't work out that way. Our parents died in an accident, before the invasion was announced. The hatred was too strong after that, and when some of us objected, we were called traitors...and then, Anshar was taken from me..."

"Does Demande know about your brother?" The question came from Rei, who was now standing with Minako just inside the doorway, caution mixed with sympathy on her face. Sin shook her head in response, her mood growing noticeably darker.

"No, he probably doesn't. But there was no way I could tell him before, and now...it might be too late, after last night..."

"Don't give up, Nana-chan!" All eyes turned towards the source of the interruption as Usagi rushed in, Luna following behind her. The blonde quickly made her way across the room and grabbed the startled Sin by the shoulders, her expression fiercely determined. "You can't just give up!" she repeated seriously. "We'll go find Demande now, get ChibiUsa and your brother back, and..."

"Stop that!" Sin countered angrily, trying to shake Usagi off while everyone just watched, speechless. "Didn't you hear me?" There were tears of frustration in her eyes as she spoke, but surprisingly Usagi held her ground. "I helped you against Oniko last night! As soon as she tells the Wiseman, Anshar will be..."

"And what if she hasn't yet?" Usagi interrupted again. "Are you just gonna sit and wait till she does? Then it really will be too late."

Those words stopped Sin cold, leaving her staring helplessly at Usagi for a long moment. Then, as realization and her pent-up emotions finally hit her all at once, she crumbled to the floor, crying uncontrollably. Usagi knelt next to her and reached out to hold her tightly. "We can't run away from this, Nana-chan," she said softly. "They're waiting for us..." She raised her face to look at her friends. "Right, everyone?"

"Like we can disagree with that..." Minako said, sweatdropping.

"You've thought long and hard about this, haven't you, Usako?" Mamoru commented.

Usagi nodded. "Yeah...and I had some help, too," she added, smiling briefly at Luna. Her blue eyes returned to Sin's teary purple ones, noting the uncertainty there...uncertainty, fear, and the faintest glimmer of hope. Standing up, she offered her hand to the Black Moon girl, a silent entreaty...and she smiled when Sin took it.

"Alright everyone, let's go!"

* * *

'What is this feeling?'

The thought crossed Demande's mind as he stood on a deserted street not far from the Black Crystal, no longer listening as Saphir spoke. His eyes gazed equally blankly at what his brother was carrying, as his attention turned inwards. Above them, the sky was growing dark with impending rain. The meddling humans had been scared off earlier by a surge of power from the nearly complete Crystal, now visible above the nearby buildings. Such details, however, took a backseat to the almost unfamiliar sensation of pressure in his heart...as if a heavy hand had grasped it, not suddenly, but with an undeniable and steadily increasing force. It threatened his focus, stalling his thoughts at unexpected moments as he tried to piece together the actions that had led to this situation. His stormy eyes roiled like the clouds above.

'Have I...failed?'

He had not allowed himself to consider such a thing since the end of the rebellion and the exile to Nemesis. To have done so would have brought too much doubt in the face of an overwhelming foe he had thought **must** be defeated. But had that truly been the only reason? Or was it his pride that had made him refuse to contemplate defeat? He growled suddenly, a sound full of bitter irony...there were those very doubts, trying to flood in with his near admission.

"Brother..." Saphir's voice, tinged with sad determination, cut through his thoughts. "This has gone on long enough. We need to end it, **now**."

Demande nodded solemnly. "You're right. It's time." His own responsibility to his clan could be dealt with later. Right now, there was one creature that must be confronted, once and for all. And that creature was... "Come out, Wiseman. I know you're watching."

A ghostly chuckle accompanied the robed figure as it appeared some distance down the street. But before either side could speak, a sudden wail pierced the air.

"ANSHAR!!"

Gritting his teeth, Demande moved to keep the Wiseman in view as he watched Sin tackle a surprised Saphir and taking hold of the pale, green-haired boy he had been carrying. Though the body was perfectly preserved, there was no mistaking its state, and the young girl collapsed sobbing as the Sailor Senshi and their allies caught up. Knowing there was little he could say now, Demande contented himself with watching, while keeping an eye on the Wiseman's movements and firmly suppressing the regret in his heart.

"I'm...too late...too late...Anshar..." Sin cried brokenly, clutching her brother tightly.

"You!" The Senshi in red pointed a finger at Saphir, ready to attack. "What kind of monster are you!? He was just a boy, and one of your own people!"

"I didn't do this!" Saphir protested angrily. "He's been dead before any of us even set foot in this time period!"

"What did you say!?" Tuxedo Kamen exclaimed.

"The Wiseman admitted it himself when we fought," Saphir explained tensely, repeating what he'd told Demande moments ago. "The Black Crystal itself did **not** have the power to send us through time. I wasn't sure what gave it the power to do so before, but I understood when I touched Anshar's body. That boy...somehow, he has within him the power to move through the time stream. I know this for certain, because I managed to come to this time just by holding him, without using the Crystal." He turned regretfully towards Sin. "**That** was why the Wiseman took him...to allow the Black Crystal to absorb that power, and in the process..."

"Wh...why the hell should we believe you?" The green-skirted Senshi demanded. Despite that, however, the Prince of the Black Moon could see from their eyes that both Sailor Moon and Sin were inclined to believe his brother. The prostrate girl had stopped crying as Saphir spoke, her eyes wide with anguish.

"So...everything I've done...was for nothing?" Her voice was a barely audible whisper, the tears returning. "Everything...I'm sorry, Anshar. I couldn't be strong for you...protect you..."

"Nana-chan..." Sailor Moon knelt next to her friend, placing one arm around her shoulders. Her eyes, filled with sadness, sought out Demande's, her gaze asking him whether this was what he had wanted. It made the fist around his heart tighten, but he held onto his focus. One more thing to do first...

"Enough time has been wasted," the Wiseman declared almost calmly, seeing Demande's attention turn towards it. "Oniko, attack."

The Prince turned only briefly to see the injured Oniko appear with several droids atop a nearby building. That she was consumed with hate was obvious even with that brief glance, and as she swallowed one of her potions and leapt to attack the Senshi, Demande's focus returned to his true opponent. Saphir stepped up beside him, his personal droid Veneti summoned and ready to fight.

"You have done well, Prince Demande," the Wiseman said. "Despite various delays, my plan is close to fruition thanks to your clan's efforts."

"I thought you were done wasting time," Demande replied curtly, ignoring the taunt.

"I have won. There is no need to hurry."

"So you believe. However..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial of purplish liquid which he tossed towards the Wiseman. It landed between them, the glass shattering and spilling the poisonous contents on the ground.

"...I see you have noticed that one, at the very least," the Wiseman observed, its composure intact. The motions of its claw-like hands, however, changed slightly as they cupped the crystal orb, telling Demande that an attack was imminent.

As if some signal had sounded, Demande inhaled deeply, gathering his thoughts and strength for the coming battle. The implication in the Wiseman's comment was clear, but though he accepted his share of responsibility for Anshar's death, he did not let that distract him now. Instead, he willed his mind towards the absolute clarity he always maintained in combat. After all, now more than any other time, a single mistake meant death...and his clan has waited too long, sacrificed too much, for him to fall now.

"S..." the Wiseman began, and Demande attacked.

* * *

Sailor Moon looked around her. To one side, her friends were locked in battle with Oniko and the droids the Wiseman had summoned. The black-haired woman fought as if demon-possessed, eyes blazing crimson and snarling like a rabid animal...the result of the potion she had drunk, according to Mercury. Sailor Moon shuddered. Despite everything Oniko had done, she could not suppress a feeling of pity as she saw their foe degenerate into something less than human. Was her hatred worth such a price?

To the other side, a smaller yet even more intense battle was being waged between the Wiseman, Demande, and Saphir. All three appeared and disappeared seemingly at random, yet their energy blasts always came dangerously close to hitting, as if they had some extra sense that allowed them to see in mid-teleport. It was dizzying to watch.

Beside her, Sin was still cradling Anshar's body, a lost look in her eyes. She felt a pang of deep sadness as she saw how her friend was suffering...and right after she had spouted such optimistic words, too. "I'm sorry, Nana-chan..." she whispered, but to her surprise, Sin shook her head.

"You were right, Usagi-chan," she confessed quietly, her grief somewhat muted now. "I've been running away from this all this time, making up excuses for myself. I knew all along that the Wiseman didn't care about promises, but I was too scared to do what I should have..." She let out a short, quiet laugh, a sound filled with self-loathing. "And here I always thought I was the strong one...if only I had half the strength you did, I might have saved him."

"Nana-chan, please...Anshar wouldn't have wanted to see you suffer like this."

"I know, but I can't just..." Sin's words abruptly stopped as she looked past Sailor Moon's shoulder, followed by the sound of a loud explosion. Alarmed, Sailor Moon started to turn around as well, but suddenly she found Anshar's body pushed into her arms and Sin rushing off past her, calling out an attack. Then there was a sharp scream of pain, and with dread in her heart, Sailor Moon turned to look.

To be concluded...

* * *

AN: And there you have it, the second-to-last chapter. I just wanted to make a little note about that bit with Luna's confession, though. Originally I was gonna lay out the whole story behind her feelings towards Athan, but looking at the current plot, it doesn't feel right to have it. The main storyline is in the final stretch now and building up urgency (I hope), and putting Luna's story in here would be too much of a diggression. So, I left it out for now. Hopefully I'll be able to work it into a later story, if there are people who're interested, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. Seeya later!


	9. Ch9: Rainbow

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

**

* * *

**

Through Storm-Cloud Eyes

Part 9: Rainbow

by JG Chan

It was beginning to rain. Demande felt the scattered droplets as he completed his teleport, then pushed the sensation to the back of his mind and fired crackling dark energy at the spot the Wiseman would most likely appear in next. With the near instantaneous movements of both combatants and projectiles, the battle came down to a test of split-second timing and reaction. Thus, focus was critically important, and a single mistake would be fatal. All three combatants knew this, and all three kept silent and clear of unnecessary thought as they struggled for victory.

A quick glance down the street while Saphir took up the attack confirmed that the Senshi were slowly gaining the upper hand, which under these circumstances was to Demande's favour. Letting himself fall over backward as one of the Wiseman's blasts passed above him, the prince quickly flashed into the air and unleashed multiple attacks with his third eye, one of which managed to rip through his opponent's shoulder.

But then, something unexpected happened. A sudden explosion erupted behind Saphir as he landed, separating him from his droid protector and diverting Demande's attention for a crucial moment. The Wiseman took that precise instant to launch a sustained, full-force blast at the Black Moon prince, forcing him to raise his defenses instead of teleporting away. Pinned, even for only a moment, Demande felt a sudden surge of dread as their foe levelled its orb at the still-unbalanced Saphir.

"LAPIS SWIFTLET!"

The Wiseman's attack collided squarely with Sin's chest as she suddenly appeared in front of Saphir, ripping a sharp scream from her throat and sending both tumbling backwards to the ground. At the same time, the girl's homing blades sliced through the Wiseman's robed form. These dealt little damage, but were enough of a distraction to allow Demande to twist out of the way of the Wiseman's blast and shoot a powerful beam that shattered its crystal orb. A piercing shriek came out of the purple cowl, and the Wiseman's body began to shrivel in on itself, the energy from the orb dissipating. As that happened, Demande slowly came out of battle focus, enough to turn his confused gaze towards the girl now lying in his brother's arms. The rain was falling more heavily, obscuring the area around them.

"Nana-chan!" Sailor Moon screamed fearfully as she ran towards them, one hand reaching for her brooch. For his part, Saphir was gazing down at Sin with bewilderment and guilt all over his face.

"W...why?" he asked softly, voicing the question in both brothers' minds.

"I...I didn't want...Demande-sama...to go through what I did," she answered hoarsely, managing a small smile. "I still...believe in Demande-sama..."

"You..." Saphir choked, tears coming to his eyes. Standing above them, Sailor Moon was calling out her healing power, causing the Silver Crystal to suffuse Sin with pure white light.

Demande watched in wonder as the grievous wound on Sin's chest began to slowly close and heal beneath the light of the Silver Crystal. Unrestrained by the needs of battle, his mind wandered back, bringing up an image of Neo Queen Serenity from that fateful encounter at the end of his rebellion. He found himself wondering if this was what she had seen then; innocent people, who had already suffered enough, going to their deaths willingly for a cause **he** had given them. He saw in his mind's eye all the events that had led up to this, from the time of his childhood to his clan's invasion of Crystal Tokyo.

'What have I accomplished?' he wondered, strangely detached. 'Where have I gone wrong?' His eyes sought Sailor Moon's; she had almost finished healing Sin's wounds. 'Tell me...'

A shimmering sound like steel cutting air came to him through the rain, and he raised a barrier around his brother and the girls as he turned, seeing the beam from the Black Crystal pierce his chest in seeming slow motion. Strange...he had thought death would be more painful...

"Demande!"

"BROTHER!"

He found himself falling backwards, and then he was in Sailor Moon's arms, being gently lowered to the ground. He looked up at her face and saw that she was weeping...or was it just the rain? Regardless, he felt a sudden urge to talk to her, to have someone hear the thoughts he had always kept to himself before. Somehow, it felt right that it should be Sailor Moon.

"It looks like I've failed my clan again," he said, his voice not quite as strong as it should be. "You need only destroy the Black Crystal now...then your future will be safe..."

"No!" she cried, bowing her head over his face. He could see the tears now. "I didn't want it to end like this! I didn't want anyone else to die..." She reached for her brooch again, and Demande summoned all his strength to grab her wrist, preventing her from doing so.

"Please, listen to me," he said in response to her confused look, to which she reluctantly nodded. Relaxing his grip slightly, he went on. "I may just be a hypocrite, you know. I've done to Sin and Anshar exactly what I thought the Neo Queen did to us. I've let them become sacrifices to my cause while I let myself obsess over the goal, seeing nothing else..."

"But you didn't know," she protested. "Nobody can take care of everything on their own..."

"No...and there is my mistake," he replied, his voice growing weaker. "My clan hated Crystal Tokyo, it's true, but that wasn't what I used to lead them. Instead, I earned their trust by devoting myself to them, and believe in me they did, to the point of risking everything...but...I could not return that trust. I did not believe in them enough to share my burden with them, I was too proud to rely on them. There is my mistake."

"Demande..." Her words caught in her throat, and she stopped to wipe her eyes, drawing Demande's attention to her face only to find it a blurred image. Strange, when had that happened? Using what little energy he had left, he managed to get his eyes to focus and look into hers...and that's when he saw it.

Sadness.  
Pain.  
Compassion.  
And deep, heart-felt regret for a man who will never see his dreams fulfilled, regret that will remain in her heart a thousand years later.

He smiled weakly, feeling inexplicably peaceful even at death's door. All this time, he had been seeing his own death in her eyes...but her feelings were misplaced, he realized. While he would not see his dreams come to fruition in person, he knew with certainty that they will, so long as **she** was around. And as the light faded from his storm-cloud eyes, he found that he had only one regret left...that he could not tell her this, and ease the suffering he would eventually cause her...

* * *

Tuxedo Kamen walked towards Sailor Moon, watching Demande's body slowly vanish from her arms. It was gone by the time he reached her, and she didn't react immediately when he helped her up and covered her with his cape. The rain was still coming down steadily, a light patter in the silence after battle. He idly wondered whether they could catch colds in this form.

"Are you alright?" he asked after a bit.

"Yeah..." she looked up from his chest, then past his shoulders at the other Senshi, who were gathered with Jadeite and the cats around Saphir. "What happened to Oniko?" she asked, glancing around.

Tuxedo Kamen sighed. "The power boost from her potion was too much for her body, so after a while, she..." He left the rest unsaid, but could feel from her movements that she understood. Destroying droids was one thing, but this... For a moment he considered telling her to let him deal with the rest, but that was only for a moment. He knew all too well what her answer would be.

"I'll be okay, Mamo-chan," Sailor Moon told him then, pulling back a little. "Let's go."

He nodded, and walked with her back to their waiting friends. Saphir knelt in the middle of them, his blue jacket draped over the unconscious but unharmed Sin. At Sailor Moon's approach, they all looked at her, their expressions serious and somber.

"I'm sorry I wasn't any help, guys," the blonde apologized.

Mercury shook her head, smiling. "Don't worry about it, Sailor Moon. But we should get going soon..." She indicated the Black Crystal with a glance, its spiked shape clearly visible in the distance.

"Yeah, you're right," Sailor Moon agreed, then looked down at Saphir. "What about you, Saphir? What will you do?"

The blue-haired young man stood up, looking around at the group of his former enemies. His eyes showed no distrust, however. "I...I would like to help, if possible," he said at last. "I've worked with the Black Crystal before, so I know something of how it works. But I can't leave Sin and Anshar here like this..."

"I'll take care of it," Jadeite volunteered. "You all need to see this through, after all," he added with a light smirk, drawing a strange glance from Mars.

"Thanks, Jadeite," Sailor Moon smiled.

"Alright then, now that that's settled..." Venus said suggestively, stepping forward. The Senshi exchanged quick glances, and Sailor Moon nodded in confirmation.

"Let's go. ChibiUsa's waiting for us."

* * *

Deep within the heart of the Evil Black Crystal, Black Lady stood upon a wide circular platform surrounded by six monoliths. A pulsing rift of blackness hung in the air in front of her; it was the Black Gate, the final step in the Wiseman's plans. Though Black Lady did not know what lay beyond it, she 'felt' it was necessary for her to open it. Why that was so was a mystery to her though, no matter how she tried to think about it.

"My Queen..."

The sudden voice startled her, and she quickly scanned the area, but saw no sign of the Wiseman. "Wiseman? Is that you?"

"Yes, my Queen," the disembodied voice seemed to come from everywhere around her at once. "I bring troubling news, I'm afraid. Prince Demande has been killed, and Sailor Moon is now coming for you."

A spike of fear stabbed through her mind at the mention of that name, accompanied by the dark images she tried not to remember. Instinctively she shrank back with a small cry, though there was still no one there. "No...what should I do?" she asked fearfully.

"There is only one way to defeat the power of the Silver Crystal," the Wiseman's voice told her, those last words causing her to cringe again. "Open the Black Gate. Swallow this world in darkness, and you will no longer have to face Sailor Moon."

"Yes...yes..." Black Lady murmured blankly to herself, moving closer to the small rift. That was why she was doing this, to save herself from destruction. Yes, the Wiseman had told her that, so it must be true. Raising her arms, she concentrated and began to transfer power to the rift, making it grow with each pulse. Her mind thus occupied with this solution to her fears, she did not hear the low, sinister laughter echoing off the dark crystal walls.

* * *

"Athan!"

The black-haired man turned slightly to see the Senshi and their allies arrive. They were now standing in the shadow of the massive Black Crystal, near the edge of the field that had kept the authorities at bay so far. There was indeed a sense of pressure in the area, as if something were affecting the air itself. Even the rain seemed unable to penetrate here. Athan had been staring intently at the Crystal up till then, his expression unreadable as usual.

"Have you learned anything useful?" Artemis asked.

"The Crystal itself has stopped growing some time ago," Athan reported, "but there's something inside that's beginning to radiate even stronger dark energies than before."

"Even stronger?" Mars's frown deepened. Being more spiritually sensitive than the others, she had a good idea of just how oppressive the Crystal already was. "That sounds bad. Really bad."

"But how do we get in?" Jupiter asked, looking around. "There's no entrance..."

"You girls should be able to teleport in," Athan replied, "but there's no telling how the energies inside will affect you." He paused. "There **are** some strange holes in the Crystal's defenses, though. It looks almost like someone's already tampered with it."

On hearing that, Saphir stepped forward to the edge of the forcefield and ran his hand over it. He seemed to concentrate for a moment, his fingers tracing strange patterns on the invisible surface, and then he unexpectedly broke into a smile.

"What is it?" Luna inquired, padding closer.

"A gift from my brother," he said simply, a hint of pride in his voice. He touched a few other places on the forcefield, which shimmered noticeably as he worked. "I think I got it now," he declared finally. "The Black Crystal should not hinder any of your abilities once you're inside. There **is** something active in there, though, and it's getting stronger. We might not have much time before the Wiseman's plans succeed."

"Let's hurry then," Sailor Moon replied. The Senshi nodded, and formed a circle with Tuxedo Kamen and Athan in the center. Saphir remained where he was, however.

"I can keep an eye on things from here," he explained. "I'm not sure if there's anything that can change now, but if there is, I'll try to keep you covered."

"Alright, we're counting on you," Sailor Moon said. She looked around. "Is everyone ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Mercury replied.

"We'll do fine!" Venus grinned confidently. "Nothing can beat us when we're all together!"

"We'll protect our future from anything they throw at us," Mars vowed.

"And we'll come back to the people waiting for us," Jupiter added.

"We're ready, Usako," Tuxedo Kamen said, smiling at Sailor Moon.

Athan simply nodded.

"Do your best, everyone!" Luna encouraged them from the side.

Sailor Moon nodded. Seeing that her friends were ready, she began gathering her energy, and soon five colors of light rose in the cloud-laden sky. Then she raised her face, fixing the Black Crystal with a look of determination. "For ChibiUsa, and all the people we love!" With a concerted shout they disappeared, leaving Saphir and the cats to gaze somberly at the ominous crystal looming over them, and wait.

* * *

"Soon..." the Wiseman's rasping voice spoke expectantly over the rising sound of wind at the heart of the Black Crystal. At its center, the small rift of the Black Gate was now a gaping void, drawing in the air around it with increasing force. Black Lady stood motionless before it, her long pink hair whipped about by the winds. Indeed, it would only take one more push to open the Black Gate completely...but she hesitated. Though her mind screamed at her in fear with every mention of Sailor Moon or the Silver Crystal, the void before her felt just as frightful, like a coldness surrounding her heart. 'Should I really do this?' she wondered. 'Maybe...maybe there's another way...'

"ChibiUsa!"

The sound of that name sent a jolt through Black Lady, and she whirled around. Sure enough, the Sailor Senshi were there at the edge of the platform, having somehow penetrated the Crystal's defenses. She could feel panic rising again as they approached, and she did the only thing she could think of to keep it under control; channel the fear into hostility.

"Stay back!" she screamed at them, unleashing a wave of darkness across the platform that stopped the Senshi in their tracks.

"ChibiUsa-chan, don't do this!" Venus shouted back.

"If the Black Gate opens, it'll destroy this world!" Mercury warned her. "Please, stop this!"

'No...they're just trying to trick me...' "Lies! You're all lying!" The pink-haired girl took hold of her shawl and snapped it forward like a whip, cutting up the floor with its energy. The Senshi quickly jumped aside, and she shot several more blasts at them, trying to hide her growing desperation behind a mask of anger.

"It's the truth, ChibiUsa!" Tuxedo Kamen shouted over the wind. "The Wiseman's the one who lied to you! Snap out of it!"

Black Lady reeled back slightly. 'No...he wouldn't lie to me...he wouldn't, he's my...my...what...' "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!" The turmoil in her mind turned to sharp pain and she lost control, letting a burst of dark power erupt outwards from her body. The attack knocked the Senshi back before its energy flowed into the Black Gate, which began to pulsate more strongly.

"The Gate...it's almost open..." Mars said worriedly.

"ChibiUsa, please!" Sailor Moon cried out, moving forward. "Remember who you really are! Come back to us!"

'She's coming...' Eyes dilated with fear, Black Lady felt her control start to crumble with each step Sailor Moon took towards her. In desperation, she screamed and lashed out with her shawl again, but before it could connect, a single red rose pinned it to the ground. Panicking now, Black Lady dropped the shawl and started backing away. "Don't...don't come near me!" she cried.

"ChibiUsa, we love you!" Sailor Moon pleaded with her, seeing her state of distress. "We'd never hurt you!" She reached for her brooch, and Black Lady's terror immediately rocketed upwards...then fizzled just as suddenly as Sailor Moon threw the brooch, along with the Silver Crystal, backwards towards the other Senshi. With a shimmer, she was back to her normal self, clad in a light blue apron dress over a sleeveless white top. There was no sound except for the wind after that, as everyone stood utterly dumbfounded.

"Sai...Usagi-chan, what are you DOING!?" Jupiter yelled at her.

Uncharacteristically ignoring her friends, Usagi continued forward, her blue eyes locked with Black Lady's confused red ones. Suddenly, a crackling dome of energy formed over the two of them, separating them from the rest of the Senshi...as well as the Silver Crystal. A triumphant cackle sounded out of the void as an image of a bare human skull appeared over the Black Gate.

"How utterly foolish, Sailor Moon," it gloated. "Black Lady, destroy her! Destroy her and you will be safe from the Silver Crystal forever!"

"ChibiUsa-chan, don't listen to him!" Mars pleaded. She and Jupiter ran forward, but were painfully pushed back as they touched the dome. Tuxedo Kamen threw a golden rose at it, but it too had no effect.

"Wait!" Athan said sharply, holding up one hand. As the others stopped, one of the monoliths around the platform suddenly cracked, then collapsed on itself. The dome flickered noticeably, but remained where it was. "It's those pillars," the armoured man confirmed. "Saphir probably broke that one from outside. Let's deal with the others." The Senshi nodded, and they and Athan scattered towards the five remaining monoliths, leaving Tuxedo Kamen to watch worriedly as Usagi faced Black Lady within the dome.

The pink-haired girl stood motionless, unsure of what to do. With the Silver Crystal out of Usagi's reach, her fear had faded...but at the same time, she was no longer compelled by her own survival to attack the blonde. Within her mind, the Wiseman's orders clashed with a need to understand why Usagi had done something so stupid, and so she remained locked in indecision.

"Destroy her!" the Wiseman's voice ordered once more. Still hesitant, Black Lady launched a small energy bolt, weakened but still dangerous to an unprotected human...and Usagi took the attack, crying out in pain but not backing off. Incredulous, the pink-haired girl watched as Usagi swayed slightly, clutching her chest, then raised her face to lock eyes with Black Lady again.

"Why...?" the self-styled Queen of the Black Moon asked. "Why are you doing this? What kind of person would throw their life away like this!?"

"Because I promised you, remember?" Usagi replied with a shaky smile. "I promised I'd protect you, no matter what..."

An image flashed through Black Lady's mind with those words, of Sailor Moon making that promise to her after shielding her from Rubeus. The memory surfaced only for an instant before being swallowed in the darkness that laced her mind, but the feeling of it remained. "You idiot!" she screamed, grief creeping in to mix with frustration in her voice. Sailor Moon was supposed to want her dead, wasn't she? What's going on...? "What for!? Why is that worth dying for!?"

"Because you're important to me, ChibiUsa," Usagi answered. "You, Mamo-chan, my friends, my family...you're all important to me, and I don't mind dying if I can keep you safe."

The dome around them was flickering more steadily now as several monoliths crumbled under the Senshi's assaults. Standing just outside it, Sailor Moon's discarded brooch clasped in one hand, Tuxedo Kamen watched the exchange with a mix of worry and frustration. He wanted to be in there to protect his love, and yet he could understand why Usagi chose to do it this way...and a small part of him was proud that she had proven strong enough to do this.

For her part, Black Lady felt completely lost. She could easily kill Usagi. She **should** kill her, before the dome falls and she gets the Silver Crystal back. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it. 'Could it be that she was telling the truth? But that would mean...the Wiseman is...'

"DESTROY HER!" The rasping voice boomed from the floating skull image, now obviously agitated. With Demande's destruction of its body and orb and Saphir's interference with the Black Crystal, the Wiseman could do very little until the Black Gate was fully open. This hadn't bothered it until now...yet never would it have imagined that Sailor Moon would willingly throw away her power. If she were to break the spell... "DESTROY HER, NOW!"

Intimidated and near the breaking point, Black Lady raised her arm again, but Usagi kept coming closer, arms open. Tears began to flow from her eyes. 'Why was this so hard? What do I do? Someone tell me what to do...' "Why don't you just run away!?" she railed against the blonde amidst her sobs. "Why do I have to choose!?"

"We all have to go through hard times, ChibiUsa," Usagi replied, smiling gently. "And there isn't always someone around to help you...but I believe in you. I know you can break out of this on your own. Please, ChibiUsa, remember..." And again, as if called forth by Usagi's words, another memory surfaced in Black Lady's mind.

_She was a child, running towards her mother and father, when she tripped and fell. Upset, she looked up, expecting her parents to come and help her up...but they did not. She had cried and thought that they didn't love her, but then her mother knelt and spoke to her gently._

_"You can get up on your own, honey. You have to learn not to depend on others for everything, but to try for yourself...so that one day, others can depend on you. I know you can do it."_

_Her mother's eyes had been warmly expectant as she said that, and her child self had responded, drying her eyes and getting up all on her own. Then, with a brilliant smile, she had dashed forward and found herself in the arms of her parents, who indeed still loved her._

The images faded with the howling wind, and Black Lady realized that she had stepped forward as well, her arms wrapped tightly around Usagi. The feeling of warmth and safety was exactly the same as she remembered it, and she smiled. As understanding and memories flooded back into her mind, the black crescent on her forehead faded, and the dark spell that had entrapped her dissipated. "Thank you...Mama..."

* * *

"How are they?" Luna asked worriedly.

"The last monolith's about to fall," Saphir replied, one hand laid flat against the forcefield around the Evil Black Crystal. "We should be able to get a clearer idea after the dome disappears. Right now, with that and the Black Gate almost open, it's hard to tell much detail from here."

"But you're sure Sailor Moon de-transformed?" Artemis asked.

Saphir nodded. "The Silver Crystal's energy is pretty unmistakable, even with everything else going on in there."

The two cats exchanged worried looks. They had been told of the nature of the spell the Wiseman had used to brainwash ChibiUsa, so they could both guess at Sailor Moon's reasons, but it was frightening all the same. Their thoughts were interrupted, however, when the Black Crystal and the ground around it suddenly began to rumble.

"Wh...what?" Luna gasped, looking around. Still at the forcefield, Saphir swore under his breath and and turned, bending down to grab the two surprised cats. Seconds later a wave of dark energy burst outwards from the crystal, nearly knocking down the blue-haired man despite the shield he had managed to bring up. Another few seconds later it reached where Jadeite had hidden Sin and Anshar, though the blond man could see it coming from far enough that he too managed to raise his shield.

The wave flowed outwards steadily, creeping over and into the evacuated buildings nearby, moving inexorably over the city of Tokyo. Even the air and rain seemed affected; the droplets appeared darker, and the temperature around the Crystal slowly began to drop. After the initial burst, Saphir had taken Luna and Artemis up to a building some distance away, where the concentration of dark energy was lower and safer. The three watched tensely as the darkness spread out from the Crystal, slowly swallowing up the city.

"...So the Black Gate has opened," Artemis said grimly. He glanced at Luna, who nodded in agreement before turning back to the Crystal. 'Please be safe, everyone' she prayed.

* * *

Usagi pushed herself up onto her elbow, one arm still wrapped protectively around ChibiUsa, who had returned to her true form. Blinking, she looked up and saw Tuxedo Kamen's body covering hers, and their friends gathering around them. In the center of the chamber, the Black Gate spun slowly, now stable after the initial burst of its opening.

"Usagi-chan!" Venus exclaimed breathlessly. "Are you alright?"

"I...yeah, I think so," she replied, sitting up. She looked up at the slightly pained look behind Tuxedo Kamen's mask, recalling what had just happened. The dome had been disabled at the same time as ChibiUsa's spell had been broken, and her protector had rushed in just in time to shield the two of them from a surge of energy from the Black Gate. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama...?"

"I'm fine," he replied, managing a wry smile. "This isn't anything compared to that fright you gave me when you de-transformed."

The blonde smiled sheepishly at that, then looked down and gently shook ChibiUsa by the shoulders. "ChibiUsa, are you okay?"

The child stirred, as if awakening from a long sleep, and opened her eyes to see the Senshi hovering anxiously over her. "Hi everyone," she said simply, smiling.

"Oh, is that all?" Jupiter asked, grinning back. The little girl shook her head and got up on her feet, looking around at the people who had protected her.

"Thank you everyone," she said sincerely. "Thank you for believing in me."

"Well, Odango-atama here gets most of the credit this time," Mars admitted, poking Usagi. The blonde stuck her tongue out at her friend, but both of them were smiling...until a rumble shook the platform, reminding them of their situation.

"What's going on," Usagi asked, looking at the Black Gate. "I thought that thing wasn't ready yet..."

"It wasn't, but when you two broke the spell, the energy from that flowed into the gate," Mercury explained grimly. "Unfortunately, it looks like that was enough."

"Indeed it was," a new voice agreed, causing everyone to look sharply at the black rift. A ghostly form could be seen through it, swathed in dark robes save for two pinpoints of light in the eyes of a skull, and radiating an aura of evil. It seemed poised to glide through the gate, growing more and more real as each second passed.

"The Wiseman...?" Tuxedo Kamen reacted first, moving squarely in front of Usagi and ChibiUsa. "Didn't Demande destroy you?"

"The destruction of that shell is no longer relevant," the creature replied coldly. "The Black Gate is open, and Death Phantom shall rise and return this world to its true state of nothingness!"

"Death Phantom!?" The Senshi gasped on hearing that name, having heard about it from Saphir. Suddenly, Usagi stepped past Tuxedo Kamen, a determined expression on her face and her brooch in one hand. She stood defiantly in front of the Black Gate, staring down the being of primal evil behind it.

"You...because of you, our future is being destroyed by people who could have been our friends. Demande, Nana-chan and her brother, the Black Moon clan, ChibiUsa...you've used everyone like pawns, like their lives and happiness meant nothing...and that I **absolutely** won't forgive!" Raising her brooch, Usagi transformed instantly into Sailor Moon, the Silver Crystal now in her outstretched hands as she faced Death Phantom. "In the name of the Moon, I will defeat you and protect everyone I love!"

The skull-headed creature laughed. "You have not the power to stop me, human!" Its eyes blazed, and the blackness surrounding the rift intensified. In response, Sailor Moon raised the Silver Crystal higher, invoking its power.

"Sailor Moon, don't!" Mars cried desperately. "If you use the Crystal, you'll die!"

"Usako!"

As Tuxedo Kamen sprang to Sailor Moon's side, Death Phantom's hand passed through the gate, and a column of dark energy spiralled in to engulf both of them. Violent winds whipped about the platform, and a low hum filled the air in the presence of so much power. Then suddenly, the column of energy broke apart, revealing Mamoru clad in Endymion's armour, and...

"Neo Queen Serenity?" Mercury gasped in surprise. Indeed, Sailor Moon had spontaneously taken the form of her future self, the Silver Crystal in her hands radiating white light to counter Death Phantom's evil power. Endymion stood right behind her, his arms entwined with hers, lending her his strength.

Death Phantom, however, did not seem fazed by this development, and continued to bombard the two with energy. Its other hand was now through the gate as well, and it laughed again. "You can do nothing, Neo Queen! With the Black Gate open, Death Phantom's power is unchecked, and not even the Illusion Silver Crystal can save this world from destruction!"

As it gloated, it continued to pour power into its attack, and the Senshi could see that its words were no empty threat. Even now, though she showed no signs of giving up, Serenity was visibly straining, slowly but inexorably losing ground.

"This can't be happening..." Jupiter said in disbelief. "Even the Silver Crystal isn't enough?"

"We have to help!" Venus told the others. "We can do it if our hearts are united, right?"

"Yeah, we can't lose here!" Mars agreed. The four Senshi nodded to each other and started forward to join their friends. ChibiUsa started to follow them, but stopped short when Athan took her by the arm.

"Stay back," he warned. "There's nothing we can do at this point but to trust them."

"But this is my fault!" the little girl protested. "Everything is my fault...because I touched the Crystal without asking..." Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she confessed. "I...if I hadn't touched the Crystal, Mama wouldn't have fallen asleep, and none of this would have happened! And now, Usagi and Mamo-chan and everyone's..." She sobbed, when suddenly she felt a strange warmth near her. Looking down, she gasped when she saw the Silver Crystal of the future floating beside her, radiant light flickering at its core.

"So that's what happened..." Athan said in realization. Glancing at ChibiUsa, he saw the look of determination in her red eyes, and smiled inwardly. "You want to use it, don't you?"

The pink-haired girl nodded.

"But you know that using the Crystal could destroy you, don't you?" he asked, his tone more probing than forbidding.

She nodded again, without hesitation. "I want to help everyone. I have to!"

"...Alright. Do your best." He released his grip, and ChibiUsa smiled at him briefly before reaching out and taking the Crystal in her hands. Closing her eyes, she silently asked for the Crystal's help, and in a flash she was clad in a white gown, a golden crescent adorning her forehead.

The surge of energy had not gone unnoticed. As ChibiUsa made her way to Serenity's side, even Death Phantom was startled enough to briefly interrupt its attack. Serenity smiled encouragingly at her future daughter, the two standing side-by-side facing the Black Gate. Endymion stood behind them, and the Senshi behind him, their arms linked, their strength flowing into Serenity.

"Two Silver Crystals...how could it be..." The spectral being seemed shaken, though that did not stop it from gathering its power once again and flinging it at the Senshi with a hate-filled curse. In response, both Serenity and ChibiUsa raised their Crystals, drawing on the love and hope in their hearts and those of their friends for a final attack.

"MERCURY STAR POWER"  
"MARS STAR POWER"  
"JUPITER STAR POWER"  
"VENUS STAR POWER"  
"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"

A light pink brilliance engulfed the group, illuminating the interior of the Black Crystal and pushing back Death Phantom's attack. The skull creature did not back down, though, and poured more and more power into the struggle, its body now partway through the gate and heaving with energy. It roared at the Senshi, a sound full of rage, hatred, and malice...and underneath it all, a small hint of desperation.

"Evil power of destruction, begone from this world!" Serenity and ChibiUsa shouted in unison, and the Silver Crystals's light exploded. A tower of rose-coloured energy engulfed the Black Gate, Death Phantom, and then the Black Crystal itself, piercing the rainclouds as it shot upwards to the heavens. And then, with a last, anguished cry, Death Phantom was destroyed, and the Black Crystal with it. As the clouds scattered and the sun shone through, the dark energy throughout the city disappeared, and all returned to normal.

* * *

"Are we...dead?" ChibiUsa asked.

"I don't know," Sailor Moon answered, "but it's okay, because we saved everyone..."

The two of them were floating in what looked like the starry void of space, suffused with a faint, pinkish light. All around them was a sense warmth and soothing tranquility, so profound that not even the idea of death created any fear. More than anything else, it reminded them of being in a parent's arms...and as they floated, a feminine voice sounded within their minds, serene and warm and melancholy all at the same time.

"You are alive, young ones," it said. "The Silver Crystals and your own hearts have created a wondrous miracle, one of many to come. Now, return to the ones you love..."

* * *

"Are you sure we should be traveling with your dau...ChibiUsa?" Saphir asked quietly. He stood with Sin, Usagi, and Mamoru in the park, slightly apart from where the girls were saying goodbye to ChibiUsa. The air felt cool and clean after the day's rainstorm, droplets of water still clinging to the leaves and grass.

"Yup," Usagi responded to the question with a smile. "And she's fine with it too, you know. But...Nana-chan, are you sure about leaving your brother here?"

Sin nodded. "We'll be withdrawing to Nemesis immediately, once we return to the future. I think...I think Anshar would have preferred it here, in a place full of life and light." She smiled and took Usagi's hands in her own. "Thank you for everything, Usagi-chan."

The two blondes embraced each other, until Mamoru gently tapped Usagi on the shoulder. "I think it's your turn now, Usako," he said, nodding his head towards where ChibiUsa was waiting.

Usagi hesitated. Now that the danger was gone, the implications of what they had learned in the future weighed heavily on her and filled her with trepidation. There stood a little girl who loved and admired her mother more than anyone else...and she would be that mother. And a queen to boot. Even after everything they've gone through, after she'd briefly connected with the Neo Queen during the last battle, and despite Mamoru's encouragements, she felt afraid. 'What if I can't live up to it?' she worried. 'What if I make a mistake along the way? What if...ahhh!'

She was interrupted as Mamoru sighed and gave her a push forward. Stumbling a bit, she came to a stop right in front of ChibiUsa, who was looking at her with the same sense of uncertainty. The two stood facing each other for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"Umm...thank you, Mama," the little girl said finally, blushing.

"ChibiUsa..."

Before Usagi could say anymore, ChibiUsa ran over to join Saphir and Sin, then turned, her Time Key in hand. "Bye, everyone!" she said cheerfully, all three of them waving. The girls and Mamoru waved back, and then they were gone, back through the time stream to their own world.

"So, that's it..." Makoto said.

"Yeah," Usagi agreed softly. She felt a comfortable warmth behind her, and tilted her head back to look at Mamoru. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"Of course, Usako," he replied, smiling down at her. "She'll do just fine. She has a great role model, after all."

"Yeah...I guess we'll have to make sure of that, huh?" She looked around at her friends, smiling at the shared sense of peace after a battle won. It wouldn't be the last one, definitely...but now, there was a clear future for them to look forward to at the end. As the group started heading towards the exit, Usagi turned slightly to gaze one last time towards where the Black Crystal had been earlier. 'Rest in peace, Demande...I'll make your dreams come true, I promise."

THE END

* * *

EN: ...And there you have it. Hope you've all enjoyed the story, delays aside. If there's anything you liked, disliked, found interesting, or thought that I should change, I'd love to hear from you. I'll start working on the next series in the meantime, and hopefully will manage to finish in good time. But anyway, thank you for reading, thank you to everyone who has or will comment, and see you next time! :D


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